Hawk was halfway convinced that Conner was really feeling as if his mission had been completed, now that Major Brisbin’s nephew was safe. “You don’t need me to show you how to get back to Fort Benton, so I’m thinkin’ it’s a good idea if I start out on their trail. And maybe by the time you and your soldiers show up I might have an idea where they’re holed up.” He paused, waiting for a show of commitment. When Conner failed to comment right away, he said, “I just wanna be sure you’ll be comin’ along behind me.”

“Damn, I don’t know, Hawk. What if we lose your trail?” Conner responded.

“I’ll make sure you don’t. I’ll mark it enough so even you can follow it,” he japed. “Maybe, if we’re lucky, they’re headed for a hideout somewhere. I can’t abide the notion of lettin’ that bunch get away with the murder of all those good folks back up on that hill.”

“You’re right, of course,” Conner said. “All right, we’ll do it your way, but you’ll have to show me where to start out after you in the morning.”

“By the way,” Hawk said, “that little fellow they call Frog is the one who showed me where to pick up their trail. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know where to start lookin’.”

* * *

At sunup the next morning, the fires were revived, but only enough to afford a cup of coffee for everyone. Conner planned to stop for breakfast when the horses were in need of rest, and Hawk was of the same mind. Before leaving the patrol, Hawk asked Donald if there was some way he could recognize David Booth, if he was lucky enough to find him. Donald, with Corey’s help, tried to paint a detailed description of the man who had appeared to be such a devout Christian. A big man, they said, dark of hair and features, his seeming vanity would have to be his heavy mustache, which he groomed to curl up at the ends. Other than that, they said, his clothes were plain, like those of all the other men of their church. Hawk tried to form the image of Booth’s face in his mind and promised he would do his best to track him down. When the horses were saddled, he led Conner to the gully where Booth and his partners had left the wagon road and headed north. Conner stood for a few moments, staring down the narrow gully, thinking he should advise his friend. “You know I’m ordered to lead a ten-day patrol, so I can’t keep the men up here indefinitely. I’ll come after you as soon as I can take those folks back to Fort Benton. But if we don’t find Booth and his gang after a day or so, I’m gonna have to head back.”