Neil went to the window and looked out over the back of the school, at the green, rounded hills beyond the fence, at the distant grayness of ocean mist. He said softly, “It all makes a lot more sense now. It was Doughty who suggested I go visit Billy Ritchie, and that was how I found out about Misquamacus in the first place. If I hadn’t have known about Misquamacus—if I hadn’t have believed in the day of the dark stars—then I wouldn’t have called you or Singing Rock to help me.”

Singing Rock, from his chair in the corner of the office, smiled and nodded.

“You’re beginning to understand the deviousness of Misquamacus, aren’t you? He wanted both of us here in California, Harry and me, so that he could take his revenge on us before any other white man or mercenary Indian. It would have used too much energy, too much magic, to bring us by any mystical means. So he simply had Doughty put you on to Billy Ritchie, who was the only person around who could tell you the truth.”

Neil tiredly rested his head against the window. “And when it was all over, he made sure that Billy Ritchie was killed.”

“Harry told me about that,” said Singing Rock. “It was a favorite method of quick death, the lightning-that-sees. It strikes like an occult guided missile. Misquamacus once used it against two of Harry’s closest friends.”

“All this accounts for something else, too,” said Neil. “The appearance of Dunbar’s ghost in the bay. He was there because Doughty was there. He was warning me, just like he kept trying to warn me everyplace else.”

Singing Rock looked at his watch again. “The first thing we have to do is find out where that school bus is. Then, before it gets dark, we have to get those children together somehow, so that I can arrange a medicine circle around them. One of the elders has given me a spell that was supposed to have kept Coyote away from the daughters of Roman Nose, and that should keep their activities confined for a little while. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than taking their first attack in the chest.”

Mr. Saperstein said, “Is there anything I can do? I’d like to help. I don’t quite understand what’s going on, but if you don’t mind that, you’re welcome to whatever I can do.”

Harry suggested, “Why don’t you call the Highway Patrol? Tell them that some of your kids went off on a day trip to Lake Berryessa, and that a mother just telephoned to say that her son took her Librium pills in his lunch box, thinking they were candies.”

Singing Rock stood up. “That should do fine. If you want us, Mr. Saperstein, we’ll be over at Neil Fenner’s house. And thank you.”