heavy paper bundles captured at Old Man's Creek. He glanced at Redbird,
and she thought she saw reproach in his eyes, even though he had said he
forgave her for her part in Yellow Hair's and Woodrow's escape.

Flying Cloud addressed Wave in a strange tongue.

"This Winnebago brave is the son of my sister," said the Prophet
pompously in Sauk.

_Does he think that means we are saved?_ Redbird wondered, sick of the
Winnebago Prophet forever claiming that victory awaited just a little
farther along the trail, when it was so clear that the trail led only to
death.

Wave said in Sauk, "My father is a Sauk who married into the Winnebago.
So I come to you as one joined with you by blood. We were sent by the
chief of our band, Falcon."

"How did you find us?" Black Hawk asked.

"One of our hunters was passing this way and saw your camp. He was
afraid to come near you, but he told me. I have been looking for you for
many days."

Wolf Paw, his face so deeply lined that he looked as old as his father,
came to stand beside Black Hawk. "Do you have news of our people who
were trying to cross the Great River?" he asked. He touched the silver
coin that hung around his neck, as if for luck.

Dread flowed cold through Redbird's arms and legs.

_Now we will know._

Wave and He Who Lights the Water looked at each other for a long, silent
moment.

"What has happened?" Black Hawk pressed them.

"The long knives caught up with them," said Wave. "Most of the people
were hiding on an island in the Great River. The long knives had a smoke
boat that fired a thunder gun at the island and killed many people. Then
the long knives landed on the island and killed nearly all that were
left."

Redbird reeled, stunned.

_Sun Woman! My second mother! Iron Knife! Oh, no! O Earthmaker, let it
not be so._

Cold crept over her as she remembered Eagle Feather's cry: _The Bad Axe!
The Great River runs red!_

Black Hawk gave a cry of anguish. His paper bundle dropped to the ground
with a thud. He sat down on the ground, picked up a handful of ashes
from Redbird's campfire and threw them on his head. The people around
him screamed and wept and held one another in their grief.

Wind Bends Grass fell against Owl Carver, and both of them sank to the
ground weeping. Redbird saw Wolf Paw standing slumped and motionless,
his arms hanging helpless at his sides, his face gray. He had insisted
that both his wives and his four children try to cross