White Bear explained how he had played dead when Eli Greenglove claimed to have hit him. He said nothing about meeting Otto Wegner. He felt good about having spared Wegner's life, but he was not sure Black Hawk would understand. In fact, White Bear was not sure he himself understood.
Owl Carver made White Bear hold his head close to the firelight while he examined the wound, muttering.
"Truly, the things the long knives do pass all understanding," he said. "It was dark. You were in grass. Maybe he missed."
"He missed on purpose. He has great fame as a marksman; he sees very well. He came and stood over me, and must have known I was alive."
Owl Carver searched through his bundle of loot and found a Frenchman's kerchief and tied it around White Bear's head to protect the wounded ear.
Chills of exultation rippled up White Bear's spine as he looked around and saw Black Hawk's braves plundering the very camp where Raoul's men had swarmed and had killed his two companions at sunset.
"Earthmaker has given us a mighty victory," he said.
"We never expected it," said Owl Carver. "We were camped on the Rock River north of here when Iron Knife rode in after sunset to say that you three had been killed, and also two of the braves who had gone with him. He told us that a whole army of long knives was riding toward us."
Black Hawk said, "I was angry. They had killed my messengers of peace. I did not care that there were hundreds of them and only forty of us. I wanted vengeance for the blood they had shed."
White Bear laughed. "I heard them crying out as they fled your attack. They thought there were hundreds of you."