by Tim Tingle
“Rick, you don’t have to be afraid,” Danny said. “Just ride into their camp and tell them where you’ve been. You helped rescue a mother and her daughter from slave traders. That is the truth, and you can see Jim Davis too.”
“Danny Blackgoat, sometimes you are smarter than a young man should be. What was I thinking?” Rick said.
Danny shrugged his shoulders. “Maybe don’t tell them I’m here,” he said.
“Yeah, it’s best if they don’t know that, Danny.” Rick did not share his thought with Danny. He knew what the soldiers would do if they caught him. Danny Blackgoat would be swinging from the end of a rope, he thought.
As the sun rose, Mr. Grady and his men rolled their blankets up and led their horses to a breakfast of dried desert grass. Now that they were a day’s ride away from the slave trader hideout where she and her mother were held prisoner, Sarah Grady came to life.
“Mom, we should be home today!” she shouted. “We can cook a good meal for everybody. I can’t wait!” Sarah was ten years old and full of fire.
Mr. Grady looked at his wife. They had avoided speaking of what life would be like, the new life, after their return.
“I have something to tell you both,” Grady said. He patted the ground beside him, and his wife and daughter sat by his side. “Since they knocked me out and left me for dead, I don’t know how much you saw.”
“It was bad, Dad,” Sarah said. “Those men were mean.”
“You know they set fire to the house and barn?” Grady asked.
“Yes,” Mrs. Grady said, “and I expect they killed most of our cattle too.”
“The cattle are scattered,” Grady said, “but if they found their way to the springs, they might still be alive.”
“We are alive,” said Mrs. Grady, “and that is a miracle. We have much work to do, but we’ve done it before.”
“I am grown up now,” Sarah said. “Me and Danny Blackgoat can rebuild the ranch!”
Danny was walking nearby and overheard the conversation.
We can let the others help us if they want to, he thought.
The Gradys, the ranch hands, and Danny saddled their horses. Rick lifted himself to his wagon seat and snapped the reins.
“We should be there in a few hours,” shouted Mr. Grady. He glanced at his wife and saw the worried look on her face.
No one spoke as they neared familiar ground. Everyone climbed into their own world of remembering the good days—and dreading what they would see.
Four hours later, as they neared the Grady ranch, they eased their horses into a slow walk. Danny patted Fire Eye on the neck and stroked his mane.
“We’re almost home,” he whispered, then closed his eyes at the mention of home. Will I ever see my home again? he thought.
Chapter 4
Shotgun Surprise
As they topped the hill overlooking the Grady ranch, Danny was glad it was noontime. If we returned at night, he thought, the ranch would look like a wide desert of fire, unsafe for life. The fires burn quieter now, in the heat of day.
As Danny eased Fire Eye over the hill, the feisty pony spotted the spring of cool water below. He snorted, shook his head, and took off in a gallop that caught Danny by surprise.
“Whoa, boy!” Danny said, patting his neck and pulling on the reins. But Fire Eye only slowed enough to skid a few feet down the hill, then continued running. Danny laughed and let him run. Fire Eye splashed into the spring, turning circles in the water.
“Fire Eye!” Danny shouted. “Slow down!”
Clinging to his horse’s neck, Danny leapt from the saddle into the shallow waters of the spring. The water was above his knees, but Fire Eye stomped and splashed his front and rear legs both, dancing in the chilly waters and drenching Danny’s clothes.
For a brief moment Danny was angry, but Fire Eye was overjoyed—after so many hours of desert sand—to finally feel the cool waters of a fresh spring. Danny put his hands on his hips and glared at his horse. Fire Eye paused and took a few steps in his direction. Danny stood still and waited. Fire Eye bowed his head, as if he understood how wrong it was to soak his friend to the skin.
“You’re a good horse, Fire Eye,” Danny said, reaching out and petting Fire Eye between the ears. But Fire Eye wasn’t finished. He dipped his head in the water, flung it at Danny, and hit him in the face with a huge wave.
“Ohhhh,” Danny yelled, covering his face with his hands. He turned to the woods and dashed to the shore. He was about to step into the woods when he heard a man’s voice in front of him, in the shadow of the trees.
“Don’t I know you, boy?” the man said in a mean and threatening voice. In the glare of the sun, Danny saw the reflection of a gun barrel. When he heard the click of a rifle, he knew his life was in danger.
He leapt into the water, and the pow of a shotgun blast shattered the quiet morning. Fire Eye reared up on his hind legs and flashed his hooves. A soldier stepped from the woods and aimed once more at Danny.
“I know you!” the soldier shouted. “You’re that Indian boy from Fort Davis. You thought you got away!”
With shotgun shells exploding around him, Danny dashed through the shallow water. He slipped into the woods away from the soldier, and Fire Eye ran beside him. Watching the scene below, Rick picked up his own shotgun and aimed at the soldier.
“You’ve killed your last Navajo,” Rick whispered. He lifted the gun to his shoulder and squinted his eyes, taking careful aim. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked to see Grady.
“Shoot to scare him,” said Grady. “If you kill a soldier, our lives are over.”
Rick nodded and took aim at a tree stump near the soldier’s feet.
Pow!
He fired his shotgun and the tree stump blew apart, showering the soldier with splinters and shards of wood. The soldier dropped his shotgun and fell to the ground. His hands flew to his face, wiping his eyes of debris.
With the blast still ringing in his ears, he scrambled to his feet and dashed to the woods.
“Keep your gun ready,” said Grady. “When he realizes he doesn’t have his shotgun, he’ll make a run for it. Just be sure you don’t hit him.”
“Thanks for the reminder,” Rick said. “Anyone that shoots at Danny has me to answer to. He saved my life, and I’ll never forget it.”
“He saved mine too,” Grady said. “But we have a big problem.”
“What?”
“The soldier didn’t walk to get here. He was probably riding by and saw the smoke. His horse is in those woods,” Grady said, pointing below. “And he’s on horseback right now, I’ll bet, looking for Danny. He might even get a promotion if he brings back that Indian boy who escaped from the fort.”
“And they’ll take him dead or alive,” said Rick, “because that Indian boy is a horse thief.”
“Any ideas?” Grady asked.
“I’ve got one, Daddy,” a sweet little voice replied. All eyes went to Sarah. “Let’s stop talking and save Danny!”
Grady gave his daughter a look of pride, but only for a moment.
“Let’s go!” he shouted to his men. “Williard, take two men and circle the woods to the east. Vickers, you and your men circle to the west. We’ll meet at the ranch house!”
“I’m gonna ride straight down the hill and wait at the tree stump,” Rick said. When Grady gave him a curious look, Rick said, “I know Danny Blackgoat. He’ll do the last thing anyone would expect him to do. He knows he can’t outrun the soldier on horseback. He will hide out, let the soldier ride past him, and meet Fire Eye where all this trouble started, at the tree stump.”
“You take care of Danny,” Grady said, “and I’ll take care of the soldier.” He looked at his men, who huddled nearby waiting for orders.
“Let’s go!” he called out, waving his arm forward.
The two groups rode and skidded their way down the hill in opposite directions. Rick and Grady drove their horses straight to the tree stump, crossed the spring, a
nd pulled to a halt.
“Hello, soldier. Are you there?” Rick asked. “I drive a supply wagon for the US Army, and I heard shooting. Are you all right?” When no one answered, they rode into a thick clump of trees.
Grady stepped from his horse and picked up the soldier’s shotgun. “I’m going for him,” Grady said. “I’ll return his rifle and tell him my men were shooting at the Indian boy. I’ll keep him gone long enough for you to get Danny up the hill. Hide him in the back of your wagon.”
“Good plan,” Rick said, “if we can catch Fire Eye.”
“Danny Blackgoat will catch Fire Eye. No worry there,” said Grady.
“Then I’ll tie him to the wagon. We can tell the soldier I’m bringing the horse to the fort.”
“Which fort?” Grady asked.
“Whichever fort he’s not going to,” Rick said, laughing. “You know Danny’s not letting me take his pony from him, after all they’ve been through.”
Grady nodded good-bye to Rick and rode after Danny, hoping to reach him before the soldier did. Rick and Grady had the same fearful thought at the same time.
What if he’s not the only soldier in the woods?
Chapter 5
Hide-and-Seek Conversation
Grady and his horse knew these woods. They knew the fastest riding paths through the trees and scrub bushes. Soon Grady spotted the soldier, sitting on his horse and gazing through the trees for any sign of “the Indian boy.”
Grady didn’t hesitate. He approached the soldier and spoke.
“Have you seen the Indians?” he asked.
The soldier jumped as if hit by a lightning bolt. He turned to face Grady with big eyes and fear written all over his face. “Who are you?” he stammered, trying to regain his confidence. “Why are you here?”
“I’m Bill Grady and I own this ranch,” he said. “I saw an Indian boy and thought there might be more. I shot at him, but I’m afraid I missed pretty bad.”
“Was it you who shot the tree stump?”
“Yes,” Grady said. “I’m sorry about that. Here’s your shotgun. Have you seen any sign of the boy?”
“I thought I had him,” said the soldier, nodding a thank-you and reaching for his gun. “I know he can’t be far. His horse took off the other way.”
His horse took off after Danny, thought Grady. And they’re both a long way from here by now.
“What brings you this far from the fort?” Grady asked. “And where’s the rest of your unit?”
“They rode over to the ranch house, looking for survivors,” said the soldier. “I am Sergeant Blaylock from Fort Davis, Texas. We are looking for a gang of slave traders. They seem to be getting bolder. A few weeks ago they attacked Fort Sumner, and we’ve been called to drive them out.”
“Maybe that Indian boy escaped from the slave traders,” said Grady.
“Oh no, not him,” said the sergeant. “I know that boy. He’s a Navajo, a real troublemaker. He escaped from Fort Davis.”
“Maybe it’s not the same boy,” said Grady.
“Oh, it’s him,” said the sergeant. “I’d know him anywhere. Since he was a prisoner, we cut his hair short. He’s the only Indian boy around with hair shorter than yours. And when you talk to this boy, he stares right back at you. He lets you know he might do what you say, but he doesn’t like it.”
“How is that different?”
“These Indian kids, boys and girls both, they never look at you,” said the sergeant. “They just nod their heads and do what you tell them. They show some respect. But not this one. He also stole a pony, so I’m not looking to capture him.”
“What do you mean?” asked Grady.
“I want that boy dead,” Sergeant Blaylock said. “Save us all a lot of trouble when he’s rotting in the ground.”
Grady felt his heart pound and the blood rush to his face. He hung his head and pulled his hat low to hide his anger. Sergeant Blaylock was talking about the young Navajo man, Danny Blackgoat, who saved his life.
“I’m sure he’ll get what’s coming to him,” Grady said. I pray he will get what he deserves, he thought to himself.
Soon they were joined by a lieutenant and two cavalrymen.
“You all right?” the lieutenant asked. “We’ve been looking for you. We heard gunshots.”
“Yes, I’m fine,” said the sergeant. “This is the owner of the ranch, Mr. Grady. We’re looking for that runaway Navajo boy from the fort.”
“You saw him?” asked the lieutenant.
“Yes, and we’ve been taking shots at him,” said the sergeant, “but he got away.”
“Well, there’s nothing we can do here,” said the lieutenant. “Mr. Grady, looks like your ranch is burned to the ground.”
“That gang of slave traders did that,” Grady said. “They took my wife and daughter too. That’s where we’ve been. During the gun battle to get my family back, we killed their leader, a fellow they call Manny.”
“You killed Manny?” the lieutenant asked. “We’ve been after him for two years.”
“We left him dead, and his men didn’t seem to mind that much. Almost like he held them captive too,” Grady said.
“Sounds to me like you’ve done our job for us,” the lieutenant said. “If you’d like, my men and I can stay for an extra day and give you a hand.”
“I’d sure appreciate it,” Grady said. “You can help me gather together what’s left of my cattle.”
“We’ll be glad to. We can work all day tomorrow and leave early the next morning.” The lieutenant turned to Sergeant Blaylock and said, “Sergeant, take these men and see if that Navajo boy left any trail. Fire your gun in the air if you find him, and we’ll join the chase.”
“I’ll get my family and men and meet you at the house,” Grady said. The last thing he wanted were soldiers prowling around his ranch, but Grady trusted Rick. He knew if he gave him enough time, Rick would catch Danny and Fire Eye and be on his way to Fort Sumner, with Danny hidden in the back of his wagon.
“See you there,” the lieutenant said. He jerked on his reins and led his horse in a slow trot to the ranch house.
Grady rode to the tree stump, hoping Rick, Danny, and Fire Eye were well on their way down the road. He paused briefly at the stump, and a slow smile crept across his face. At the base of what remained of the stump, someone had arranged bits of bark in a simple note.
O K
“Yes,” Grady said aloud. “You are okay, Rick—you and Danny Blackgoat both. You risked your lives to save my wife and daughter.” He turned his horse uphill, where his family and ranch hands waited.
“Did anyone see Rick and Danny Blackgoat?” he asked.
“Yes,” Sarah said. “I saw Danny. He was riding Fire Eye and they took off running. Someday I want to ride a pony as fast as Fire Eye. Dad, maybe for next Christmas instead of a new dress can I have a new pony, a really fast pony, not one for little girls, but for a grown-up girl like me, ’cause you know I will be grown up by that time.”
Everyone waited patiently for Sarah to take a breath. When she finally did, Mr. Grady ignored her question. “Before we return to the ranch house,” he said, “we will stop and pay our respects to the men buried in the woods.”
No one spoke as they rode slowly down the hill and crossed the spring. When they came to the stone graveyard in the woods, they stepped from their horses and circled the graves.
With his family safe and the concerns of the day over, Grady hung his head and felt tears roll down his cheeks. His men took their hats off and closed their eyes, many weeping as well.
“Dear Lord,” Grady said, “welcome these good men into a place of everlasting peace, if it be thy will. We will never forget the good work they did here on earth. May they find peace in a better place and help those in need.”
Rick and Danny were already riding their ponies and speeding down the road to Fort Sumner. They stopped at the spot in the woods where Rick had left his wagon, almost a week ago now. Soon Fire Eye was
tied to the rear of the wagon, and Danny rode on the wagon bed.
“I think you know what to do if we pass anyone on the road,” Rick told him.
“Yes,” Danny said. “I climb under the blanket and don’t move till you say it’s safe.”
“That’s right, Danny. Just do what I say, even if you start seeing my daughter, and we’ll get along fine.”
“That is not funny, Rick.”
“I didn’t mean for it to be,” said Rick.
Chapter 6
Bridge-Builder Rick
“How far to the fort, Rick?” Danny asked.
“We should be there sometime tomorrow, if we don’t run into any more trouble,” Rick said.
“The soldiers will be looking for me, won’t they?’
“Yes, Danny. Your life is in danger, more than ever. They know you are running free, and they know you will try to see your family.”
“Will they follow Jim Davis when he comes to see me?”
“If I was looking for you, Danny, that’s what I would do.”
“He will be in trouble, too, if they catch us together,” Danny said. “Will you warn him? Tell him just to wait and don’t try to meet me at the full moon.”
“That’s smart of you, Danny. The time will come. You’ll just have to wait.”
Danny curled under his blanket and soon was fast asleep, dreaming of his home at Canyon de Chelly. He laughed in his sleep at the sight of Crowfoot, his favorite little sheep that waddled when he walked.
As the clouds gathered in a darkening sky, Danny rolled to the rear of the wagon. Drops of rain fell softly on his cheeks. He lay half awake and half asleep.
“Crowfoot,” he whispered, holding out a handful of grain. “Come here.” Suddenly, the earth shook and Danny fell to the ground. His little friend floated over him. Danny moved his hands to his face and felt the raindrops, but when he looked at his hands, his fingertips were covered in blood.
“Help!” he shouted.
“Wake up, Danny,” Rick said. “Another nightmare?”