If the
Great Spirit had intended that to be so, he would not have put six
different tongues into their heads. The Miamis owned these lands in
the beginning, while the Shawnees were in Georgia. You Shawnees have
no right to come from a distant country, and tell the Miamis what shall
be done with their property."

Tecumseh sprang up and angrily interrupted.

"That is a lie! You and the Seventeen Fires are cheating the Indians
out of their lands."

The warriors leaped up, as if to attack. The few whites prepared for
defense.

"You are a man of bad heart," thundered the governor, to Tecumseh. "I
will talk with you no more. You may go in safety, protected by the
council-fire, but I want you to leave this place at once."

Other councils were held. Tecumseh stood as firm as a rock, for what
he considered to be the rights of the Indians. He was very frank. He
said that if it were not for the dispute about the land, he would
continue to be the friend of the Seventeen Fires. He would rather
fight with them than against them. He had no love for the British--who
clapped their hands and sicked the Indians on as if they were dogs. As
for making the Indians one nation, had not the Seventeen Fires set an
example when they united? It was true, he said, that now all the
Northern tribes were one. Soon he was to set out, and ask the Southern
tribes to sit upon the same blanket with the Northern tribes.

The governor knew. From Governor William Clark of Missouri he had
received a letter telling him that friendship belts and war belts were
passing among the nations west of the Missouri River, calling them to
an attack on Vincennes. The Sacs of the upper Mississippi had sent to
Canada for ammunition.

From Chicago had come word that the Potawatomis and other tribes near
Fort Dearborn were preparing.

Governor Harrison had suggested that the two brothers travel to
Washington and talk with the President about lands. He himself had no
power to promise that treaties should not be made with separate
nations. He also said, to Tecumseh:

"If there is war between us, I ask you to stop your Indians from
abusing captives, and from attacking women and children."

Tecumseh promised, but he went out upon his trip. Before he left, he
asked that nothing should be done regarding the land, before he came
back; a large number of Indians were on the way to settle there, and
they would need it as a hunting-ground! If they killed