Andy did not understand. His brother explained, “I will take another horse and lead the pony southward. That is the direction Fights with Bears would expect. I will leave a clear trail. When I have misled him far enough, my trail will disappear. I will circle back to camp while he is still looking for my tracks.”

“But south is where I need to go with the boy.”

“Not at first. You will ride eastward in the creek where you will not leave a trail. You must travel far before you leave the creek.”

“That would put us into the settlements a long way east of where the boy’s family lives.”

“But east from where Fights with Bears will be looking for you.”

Andy could see flaws in his brother’s plan, but it was better than anything he had been able to think up. It had all the marks of the trickster, the coyote.

Much depended upon Andy’s being able to get the boy out of the tepee without arousing the family. Beyond that, much depended upon being able to fool Fights with Bears.

He said, “I hope he is not very smart.”

“He has been in many battles. Not one has he lost.”

CHAPTER

SEVENTEEN

The moon provided light enough for Andy to see that the tepee skins were rolled up a foot or so from the bottom to allow fresh air to pass through. He would be able to crawl in where he chose rather than have to enter through the front flap and feel his way around. He looked behind him but could not see Steals the Ponies. He had the comfort of faith that his brother was back there somewhere, holding two pairs of horses.

From inside he could hear loud snoring. He guessed it came from Fights with Bears. That was gratifying. But not so welcome were the sounds of a child’s cough and a woman’s calming whisper. Andy lay on his stomach at the tepee’s edge, listening, his skin prickling with impatience.

He waited until some time had passed since the last cough. He began to drag himself forward slowly, trying to make no sound. Somewhere a dog barked, and he froze. The child whimpered, causing him to wait again, half in and half out of the lodge.

As his eyes adjusted to the interior’s poor light, he was able to see the sleepers. The largest he took to be Fights with Bears, lying on his back, snoring again after having lain on his side for a while. Next to him lay one of his wives. Andy sought out the second wife. She lay among the children. He assumed that the sick child was one of hers.