He caught up to the others and signaled for them to stop the herd. “Now,” he said, “the trap is sprung. It is time we divide and disappear like smoke.”

The horses and mules were split into small groups whose tracks would be difficult to follow. If the Texans managed to get past the soldiers and penetrate this far, they would be confounded by loss of the trail. It would seem obvious to them that the reserve Indians were the authors of their trouble.

Black Wing said, “You are clever, elder brother.”

“I have studied the Trickster. Coyote is a good teacher.”

Isaac York was livid. “See there, Tom, what I been tellin’ you? These tracks have led us straight onto the reserve.”

Blessing appeared torn, believing even as he wished he did not. “Don’t you think I can see for myself?”

“You didn’t want to, but there’s the evidence right before your eyes. How much longer we got to put up with this before we do what we ought to’ve done before they ever moved them red heathens in here?”

“The agents’ve said all along that they’re keepin’ the reserve Indians under control. I can’t say I trusted them all, but I trusted Robert Neighbors.” Neighbors was the chief agent, approved by both the federal government and the governor of Texas.

“That dead woman back yonder tells you he lied. She tells you they all lied. We’d just as well have a rattlesnake den in our backyard as to have this reserve here.”

“I don’t know what we can do about it.”

“We’re fixin’ to get a chance. Yonder come the yellow-legged soldiers.”

Rusty turned to look in the direction York pointed. A small federal patrol—he counted seven men—moved rapidly up from their right flank. The officer in the lead waved his hand as a signal for the Texans to halt.

York said, “There’s twice as many of us as there is of them. We ain’t stoppin’ for them, are we?”

Blessing raised his hand. “Let’s see what they say about these horse tracks.”

Mike drew his horse up beside Rusty. “If any trouble starts, young’un, you get out of the way. Your mother would never forgive me if I let you get shot. Especially by a United States soldier.”

So far as Rusty knew, Mike had never retreated in his life. “If you don’t run, I don’t run.”

The officer reined up and glanced first at York, then at Blessing, trying to decide which was the leader. Both had a formidable look, as if they were ready for the war to start. Blessing did not leave him wondering long. “Do you have business with us, sir? If not, we have business of our own.”

The officer took on an imperious tone. “Are you aware that you are trespassing? You crossed over the reserve boundary some miles back.”

“With good reason. Some of your wards butchered a woman back yonder, and they kidnapped a boy. Besides that, they’ve stolen a big bunch of horses and mules. We intend to get them back.”