SLAUGH. I reckon we'll hev a tussle wi' them gentry
afore long. But for Noo England we'd a hed it afore
now; but them Noo Englanders kind o' curries to the
Britishers. A war would spile their shippin', end so
they're agin it. But we h'aint got no ships to spile in
this western kentry, end so I reckon we'll pitch in.

GERKIN. We'd better git out o' this Injun fry-pan fust,
old hoss! I could lick my own weight in wild-cats, but
this ruck o' Injuns is jest a little tew hefty.

BLOAT. Maybe they want to come to skool, end start
store, end sich!

GERKIN. Gentlemen - I mean to send my lady down stream,
end I reckon you'd better dew the same wi' your 'uns -
jest fer safety like. My time's limited - will you
liquor?

ALL. You bet!

BLOAT. (Meditatively) Skoolin! Wall, I'll be
darned!

[Exeunt.]

SCENE THIRD. THE SAME. A ROOM IN GENERAL HARRISON'S HOUSE.

Enter_ GENERAL HARRISON, and some Officers of
the American Army_.

HARRISON. What savage handiwork keeps Barron back?

Enter BARRON.

Ah, here he comes, his looks interpreting
Mischief and failure! It is as I feared. What answer do
you bring?

BARRON. Tecumseh comes
To council, with four hundred men at back,
To which, with all persuasion, I objected -
As that it would alarm our citizens,
Whose hasty temper, by suspicion edged,
Might break in broils of quarrel with his braves;
But, sir, it was in vain - so be prepared!
Your Council records may be writ in blood.

HARRISON. Will he attack us, think you?

BARRON. No, not now. His present thought is to
intimidate.
But, lest some rash and foulmouthed citizen
Should spur his passion to the run, fore-arm!

HARRISON. Tut! Arms are scarce as soldiers in our town,
And I am sick of requisitioning.
Nay, we must trust to something else than arms.
Tecumseh is a savage but in name - Let's trust to him!
What says he of our treaties?

BARRON. O, he discharges them as heavy loads,
Which borne by red men only, break their backs.
All lands, he says, are common to his race;
Not to be sold but by consent of all.

HARRISON. Absurd! This proposition would prevent
All purchase and all progress. No, indeed;
We cannot tie our hands with such conditions.
What of the Prophet? Comes he with the rest?

BARRON. The Prophet stays behind.

HARRISON. He is a foil
Used by Tecumseh to augment his greatness;
And, by good husbandry of incantation,
And gloomy charms by night, this Prophet works
So shrewdly on their braves that every man,
Inflamed by auguries of victory,
Would rush on death.

1ST OFFICER. Why, General, I heard
He over-trumpt you once and won the trick.

HARRISON. How so?

1ST OFFICER. Well, once, before his braves, 'tis said,
You dared him to a trial of his spells,
Which challenge he accepted, having heard
From white men of a coming sun-eclipse.
Then, shrewdly noting day and hour, he called
Boldly his followers round him, and declared
That he would hide the sun. They stood and gazed,
And, when the moon's colossal shadow fell,
They crouched upon the ground, and worshipped him.