hatred she saw in their faces. How frightened of the British Band they
must have been only a moon or two ago. Now they had what was left of the
British Band at their mercy.

The long knife leader shouted and drew his pistol and waved it. Shaking
his head, the chief of the boatmen made an angry gesture toward the
flatboat. The long knife took coins from his saddlebag and handed them
down to the boatman. The long knives began to herd Redbird's people on
board.

It took three trips to carry all of the Sauk across the Fever River. By
this time hundreds of pale eyes men, women and children had gathered at
the riverbank.

Redbird and her children were in the last group to cross. She heard
angry cries. The pale eyes were throwing rotten vegetables, clumps of
dirt and small rocks. She pulled Floating Lily around from her back to
hold her in her arms. A soft tomato hit Redbird in the ear. She heard
laughter. She wanted to keep both hands on the baby, so she did not wipe
away the pulp and seeds that dripped down her neck. She ran on board the
boat.

When she stumbled off on the other side of the river she was panting,
breathless with relief. She felt a hand wiping the tomato pulp from her
neck--Wolf Paw. It was good to know he was nearby.

The next morning when they set out, Wolf Paw picked up Eagle Feather,
whose ragged moccasins had fallen from his feet. He lifted him over his
head and set him on his shoulders. Redbird smiled her thanks, and Wolf
Paw returned a sad look, then sighed and lowered his gaze to the ground.
All that day he trudged beside her with Eagle Feather on his back. That
night he slept near Redbird and her children.

The following day the trail led past flat fields, mostly planted with
corn, stretching to the edge of the Great River. For a moment, reminded
of the cornfields around Saukenuk, Redbird's heart lifted. Then she
recalled that from now on only pale eyes would plant corn in this
country.

On her left bluffs rose up, overlooking the river like the statues of
spirits. Ahead she could see many pale eyes lodges built on the side of
a hill. At the top of the hill was a fort surrounded by a wall of
upright logs. She saw a dark mass of people spread across the trail
ahead.

They were not standing to one side, as those at the last town had. They
were blocking the way.

She felt that she knew this place, though she had never been here
before. After a moment she understood why. White Bear and Yellow