The Bully Boys by Eric Walters Page A

contents. It was obvious from the strong smell that it had held whisky and not water. The pungent smell of the alcohol took me back to the blockhouse across the Niagara.
    â€œThat was quite amusing,” FitzGibbon said. “You have a pretty good Indian war cry.”
    â€œI do?”
    â€œYou have to remember that the Americans are terrified of the natives, just terrified. Are you afraid of Indians?” he asked.
    â€œI don’t know . . . maybe a little, I guess,” I admitted reluctantly. I really hadn’t had much to do with the Indians. I knew there was a group who camped each summer on the stream not far from our house, but I’d never even seen them, let alone talked to any of them.
    â€œMost of the Americans are more than just a little scared. They’re downright terrified. They think they’re going to be scalped or tortured. They tell stories, but most of that is just make-believe. So, can you get us back down to the others without going back through the cave? I really don’t fancy tight little spaces like that.”
    â€œSure, we can go this way,” I said.
    â€œLead away.”
    We started down from the top. I was looking for the place where we’d originally gone down with the horses.
    â€œDo you know who started the practice of scalping the dead?” FitzGibbon asked.
    â€œNot really.”
    â€œWhite settlers.”
    â€œYou mean Indians don’t scalp people?” I asked.
    â€œI didn’t say that. Some tribes do it, but it wasn’t a practice that was invented by the natives. I think the real reason the Americans fear the natives so much is because of all the terrible things they’ve done to them. One of the greatest men I ever met was Tecumseh. He’s a man of integrity, honesty and intelligence. In fact, most of the ignorant savages I’ve met speak the King’s English, are as white as cream and were born in the Old World. When we get back to camp I’ll arrange to take you one night to the camp of one of our allies. Maybe the Caughnawagas.”
    â€œWill we have to travel far to get there?”
    He chuckled. “No more than a few miles. They usually camp close by our site.”
    â€œI didn’t know that.”
    â€œAlways. We work together. Captain Dominique Ducharme has one hundred and eighty Caughnawagas under his command, while Captain William Kerr has some two hundred tribesmen from the Six Nations. Without them this war would have been settled long ago, and not in our favour.”
    â€œI didn’t even know there were that many Indians around here,” I said.
    â€œThere are many, but our ranks have been swelled by our native brothers from throughout Upper Canada as well as the northern States.”
    â€œEven Indians from the United States are on our side?” I questioned.
    â€œThat’s where Tecumseh and his people are from. You have to understand, Tommy, that the British have perpetrated their share of injustices against the Indians, but prior to this war the American army launched countless attacks that slaughtered thousands upon thousands of Indians, burned villages, forced them to leave their lands. Things the natives will never forget. And that is why they are on our side. We are the enemy of their enemy, and thus we are allies. I just pray that the King will recognize and reward their deeds when we finally drive the Americans back across the river.”
    The rocks under my feet slipped and I scrambled to regain my balance. Hitting the flat I saw Jamison and McAdams ahead. They were standing outside the vine-covered overhang and waved to us.
    â€œI wish you’d have let us know what you were up to before you did it, Lieutenant,” Jamison said.
    â€œWhen you started screaming you nearly scared the daylights out of me!” McAdams added. “You haven’t any idea how loud that echoes on down through the cave!”
    FitzGibbon just smiled.
    â€œAnd then when