The vegetation began showing more life, indicating that more rain had fallen than farther to the south. Andy hoped this meant the evening camp-site would offer live water. The carts’ barrels were down by more than half, which would mean tight rationing if the site proved dry. The oxen had to be considered first, before the men.

Late in the afternoon they passed over a small swell in the prairie, and he saw that they would not be alone at the night’s camp. He rough-counted thirty or forty horses loose-herded on the curing grass. A breeze from the north brought the faint odor of burning wood.

He wanted to ride directly to the horse herd and see if Billy’s pony might be there. Martinez stopped him with a quick jerk of his head. “Better you stay with the carts. Make not too bold until they have looked us over.”

Andy curbed his eagerness and remained beside one of the carts as it approached the camp. Comanches began walking out or in several cases riding their ponies to give the carts a full inspection. They paid less attention to the Mexican cart men than to what they brought with them. At first Andy thought none were going to notice him, but soon he found himself the object of considerable curiosity. One of the warriors pushed so close that Andy was almost nose to nose with him. Andy realized with a start that he had seen the man before. He recognized several of the warriors.

Looking around quickly, he spotted Horse Runner, though the raiding party leader did not notice Andy right away.

“You,” a warrior said, poking his finger at Andy, “you are the white Comanche.”

That caused Horse Runner to turn around. “Badger Boy!” He hesitated as if he could not believe, then he moved forward to embrace Andy “You have come back to live among your true people?”

“No, I have come on a quest.”

“Quest for what? When we saw you, you were going to give warning to a friend. Did you not find him?”

“I found him. Now there is other trouble. I have come to find a small boy who was taken, a Texan boy. He belongs to my friends.” He watched Horse Runner’s dark eyes for any sign that the raider had knowledge of Billy.

The eyes betrayed nothing. “I know of no boy.”

“He was with an old man. The old man was killed and the boy stolen.”

“Not by us.” Horse Runner made a sweeping motion toward the other warriors. “We took horses. We did not have the fortune to take scalps.” He hastened to add, “You may look among us. You will not find a boy.”