Watts frowned and said something under his breath. Polcher boldly assured:
“My medicine told me to kill the eagle. It was sick and would have died.”
“He has killed the eagle and has taken its feathers without first allowing it to remain four days on the ground!” cried Sevier.
The warriors edged apart from Watts and Polcher, for it was known that the insects on the eagle’s feathers will cause a serious skin disease to any who wears them without first leaving them on the ground four days.
Knowing Sevier had thrown him on to the defensive, Polcher declared—
“My medicine protects me from the eagle-sickness.”
But Sevier was not yet done with him and roundly scored:
“Does your medicine save the Cherokees’ corn? You have killed an eagle out of season. Surely the frost will come and kill the corn.”
This, also, was accepted as an incontrovertible fact, and Chief Watts realized the council would be thrown into confusion unless Chucky Jack were headed off. Bringing his two hands together for silence, he cried out:
“That business can wait. Little John need not worry about Cherokee corn. He has asked to see the man who says he killed Tall Runner. The man is here and will speak.”