The leader's careworn face glowed as if he were seeing a
long-lost brother. He shifted his feather-adorned war club to his left
hand and raised his empty right hand in greeting to Star Arrow. White
Bear was amazed. He could not remember seeing Black Hawk smile so
happily.

Star Arrow raised his hand in reply. White Bear felt himself surrounded
by giants--Black Hawk, Star Arrow, Owl Carver. He remembered the circle
of trees he had been standing in when Sun Woman called to him.

"Star Arrow has come back to us," Black Hawk declared. "It is well."

Wolf Paw, Black Hawk's oldest son, now strode down the line of people.
His presence, as always, made White Bear uneasy.

Sun Woman made room for Black Hawk to sit beside Owl Carver. The chief
handed his feathered war club to Wolf Paw, who sat down behind him and
rested the club across his knees.

Three more men pushed their way through the crowd. When they came to the
front, White Bear saw that they were three chiefs, members of the
council that ruled the day-to-day affairs of the Sauk and Fox in
peacetime. One, Jumping Fish, was older than Black Hawk. Another, Broth,
was a deep-chested man and a well-known orator. The third, Little
Stabbing Chief, was a prominent member of the Fox tribe.

With a courteous gesture Black Hawk invited the three chiefs to join the
sitting circle.

The nine sat quietly for a time before their people while a breeze
whistled over the bark rooftops of Saukenuk.

Black Hawk broke the silence. "Our fathers and our grandfathers have
known many kinds of pale eyes. The French pale eyes traded with us. The
British pale eyes made us their allies in war. But the American pale
eyes drive us from our land and kill us when we resist. American pale
eyes are not our friends. But this man, Star Arrow, we call friend. We
trust Star Arrow.

"Thirteen summers ago the British long knives made war on the American
long knives. The great Shawnee chief, Shooting Star, led braves and
warriors of many tribes to fight on the side of the British against the
Americans. We among the Sauk and Foxes who followed Shooting Star have
been known ever since as the British Band. This man was living among us
then, seeking to trade with us and to know us better. When the war began
there were some who said, 'He is an enemy. Kill him.' And I might have
said so, too, but I did not, because already I knew that he was a good
man. We could not send him back to the Americans, but we let