Ezra, as usual, was anxious. “I keep thinking we’re goin to have a whole lot of marshals on our tail any minute,” he told Eli. “If they thought these horses were so important they’d build them big heavy corrals, you’d think they’d want to get them back.”

“They built them corrals just because it’s federal money. Them boys from the Civilian Conservation Corps did the hard work. It’s kind of funny. Bill Bury hates FDR like poison, but he’s happy to take federal money when it suits his purposes.”

“That’s another thing. Bill Bury. Aint his style to let himself get beat so easy, if he was hell-bent on seein these horses slaughtered.”

“Well, we’ll see. We aint got them where we’re goin yet. But once we cross the Montana line, we’re over where Big Bill is about as popular as wolverine shit. He might not want to throw his weight around over there.”

Late in the afternoon, the riders split into two bunches, one group to keep the mustangs from scattering as they came out of the canyon, the other to get behind and give them a nudge in the right direction. As soon as the riders started to move, the black went to work behind the rest as though he understood what the men had in mind. Farron Blue watched him with admiration, but he kept his distance.

They rode steadily through the night. Two Spuds and Plenty Doors led the way, splashed across the Bighorn River so they could head up the west side of Bighorn Canyon. As soon as they climbed back on the horses again, Eli had the saddle wolf so bad his eyes watered. He gritted his teeth and cantered up next to Emaline and Juanita. “You ladies aren’t feelin saddle-sore, are you?”

Juanita winked at Emaline and smiled. “Not a bit. We were just saying how we feel we could ride all night and all day again.”

Emaline nodded. “We’re not sore at all, Grandpa.”

“No kidding, huh? You must have better saddles than I do, cause I’m feelin it a bit. I must be gettin old.”

Juanita laughed and leaned out of the saddle to kiss his cheek. “You are getting old, you silly old bear. You don’t even know when we’re teasing you. We’re both so sore we could hardly get in the saddle. I was just saying I might have to walk back.”

Eli grinned. “That’s better. You had me worried there.”