little, at the man who addressed him. His skinniness was like Pierre's
in a way, but this man was a heap uglier than Raoul's brother had been.
He looked like a half-starved nag.

_I'll bet he trips all over himself when he walks, and when he rides he
drags his feet on the ground._

Raoul gestured to the seated Potawatomi. "You boys ever see Indians up
close before?"

"The way you've got them trussed up and guarded, Colonel," said the tall
man, "I'd say they must be pretty desperate characters."

Raoul heard the smile in the drawling voice and felt heat rising up the
back of his neck. He took a closer look at the man. He couldn't be much
over twenty, but he looked a well-worn twenty. A farmer's face,
darkened by the sun. The gray eyes, set in deep hollows under heavy
black brows, crinkled humorously. But Raoul saw cold judgment deeper in
those eyes.

Like most of the volunteers, the tall man wore civilian clothes. His
were gray trousers tucked into farmer's boots and a gray jacket over a
blue calico shirt printed with white flowers. An officer's saber hung
from a belt around his waist.

Raoul said, "Well, I reckon you signed up with the militia to fight
Indians, so take a good look at your enemy."

The tall man walked around to stand in front of Little Foot, hunkered
down and said, "Howdy."

Little Foot did not look back but gazed ahead with a blank face.

The lean man straightened up. "A mighty mean customer, sir."

Some of the other men in the ring around the Indians chuckled at this.
Even Justus Bennett snickered.

Raoul was feeling angrier and angrier. He had looked forward to
questioning Little Foot and the other Potawatomi, looked forward to
having them resist and to breaking their resistance down with fear and
pain. He'd even hoped they might give him reason to shoot them. These
strange militiamen were becoming a nuisance.

"You seem to think this is pretty funny. Who the hell are you?" Raoul
put a threat into his voice.

"I'm Captain Lincoln of the Sangamon County company, sir. We're with the
Second Battalion."

Raoul let his gaze travel over the other Sangamon County men.

"Any of the rest of you able to talk?"

One man laughed. "When Abe's around we mostly let him do the talking."

"That so? If you let somebody else do your talking for you, he may talk
you into a spot you won't like."

Abe said, "Oh, I always make sure I say what the men want said, sir."
That brought another laugh.

R