seen as a traveler
among the pale eyes might not discourage the British Band from making
war, but his vision might move them more.

"The Turtle showed me Black Hawk talking to Sharp Knife," he said,
pointing to the war chief, who lifted his feather-crowned head at the
sound of his name. "They were in the house of the Great Father of the
Americans in the village called Washington City."

He heard amazed murmurings all around him. Encouraged, he went on.

"Then I saw great numbers of long knives running toward me over a field.
They were shooting and being shot at. I saw many of them hit, and they
fell and died, but they kept coming on. I saw a tall, thin man with a
beard, a sad man whom I have never seen before, mourning over the fallen
long knives."

The sun had gone down. Now he could see the dark listening faces only by
the yellow glow of the fire.

Owl Carver said, "White Bear's vision brings us hope. He sees our own
Black Hawk meeting with Sharp Knife in Sharp Knife's house. Black Hawk
will go to Sharp Knife's very house to lay down peace terms to the
Americans."

_That is not what it means!_ White Bear thought, shocked.

Owl Carver went on. "White Bear saw long knives dying. White Bear's
vision foretells victory for the British Band."

From all around the campfire he heard grunts of approval at Owl Carver's
words. White Bear's heart felt lost and sinking, like a stone thrown
into the Great River.

"Listen!" he cried. "Owl Carver is my father in spirit, but he did not
see this vision or feel its sadness. I did. I stood there before the
Turtle, and I know that what he showed me was a warning. If the British
Band takes to the path of war, Black Hawk will be Sharp Knife's
prisoner."

Shouts of protest erupted around him. He saw Little Crow come back to
the fire with a bundle of bright red and blue cloth in his hands.

White Bear spoke on over the outcry. "Listen! When I saw the long knives
dying, more and more of them came forward, and their numbers were
endless. They were not fighting our warriors. They were fighting other
long knives. The vision said that there would be many, many long knives
in summers and winters to come, so many that they would fight each
other."

Owl Carver said in a voice just loud enough for White Bear to hear, "Say
no more. You do great harm."

"I must say more. You have asked me to speak. Now I must tell what I
know. You must listen. The Turtle also spoke to me. He said, 'The