“But you can’t, Steve!” Pitch’s words were clipped. “And, frankly, I don’t understand why you feel it shouldn’t be this way. This is the survival of the fittest, a contest that’s been going on since the world began. Oh, I know how you feel about that red horse—I haven’t forgotten your dream of Flame. A remarkable coincidence. But you said yourself, Steve, that he knew he was licked. And it was this brute of a horse that whipped him. I don’t like it either, but you’ve got to accept it, Steve,” Pitch concluded flatly. “You couldn’t possibly do anything anyway.”

“I could try to kill the Piebald.” There was no doubt of the sincerity in Steve’s voice.

“You’re kidding,” Pitch said quickly.

“No, I’m not, Pitch.”

It was too dark to see Steve’s eyes. Pitch said, “You’re being silly, Steve. Come on, let’s get the fire going and have some food.”

But the boy didn’t move, and his head was still turned toward the band—toward the Piebald. “If only we’d brought a gun,” he said almost to himself. “I could have killed him with a gun. Still, there must be some other way.”

“Steve!” Pitch’s voice was shrill. “What in the world is the matter with you! You try killing that vicious horse and you’ll be killed yourself! I won’t have any more of this foolish talk. These horses were here long before we were born, and they’ll be here long after we’re dead. Why get so excited over the Piebald? He means nothing to you.”

“But he does! Can’t you understand, Pitch?” Steve asked, turning quickly to his friend. “Can’t you see that if the Piebald is left as their leader this breed will never be the same? His blood will be in every single foal, Pitch. They’ll be like him and much worse in a very few years.”

After a long silence Pitch said quietly, “So that’s what’s troubling you. But you still can’t do anything about it, Steve. You couldn’t possibly do anything. If it’s the end of this particular breed of horse, it’s the end—that’s all.”

“But not if I can kill the Piebald,” Steve insisted.

“You’re not making sense, Steve,” Pitch returned angrily. “And I’m not going to allow you to risk your neck trying to kill him either. The only one who could possibly do away with the Piebald is that red horse, and I’m afraid he won’t be back for another try.”

“But maybe he will, Pitch!” Steve said excitedly. “Maybe that’s it! Maybe he will come back!”

“Maybe he will,” Pitch agreed resignedly, walking back to the cave.