“They can’t,” Roland said simply. And, based on Jamie Jaffords’s testimony, they were almost positive this was true. The old man’s story was his reason for letting Andy and Ben Slightman run free for the next five days and nights. “They come from afar, and not all their traveling is on horseback. Their schedule is fixed far in advance.”

“How do’ee know?” Louis Haycox asked.

“Better I not tell,” Roland said. “Mayhap the Wolves have long ears.”

A considering silence met this.

“On the same night—Wolf’s Eve—I’d have a dozen bucka wagons here, the biggest in the Calla, to draw the children out to the north of town. I’ll appoint the drivers. There’ll also be child-minders to go with em, and stay with em when the time comes. And ye needn’t ask me where they’ll be going; it’s best we not speak of that, either.”

Of course most of them thought they already knew where the children would be taken: the old Gloria. Word had a way of getting around, as Roland well knew. Ben Slightman had thought a little further—to the Redbird Two, south of the Gloria—and that was also fine.

George Telford cried out: “Don’t listen to this, folken, I beg ye! And even if’ee do listen, for your souls and the life of this town, don’t do it! What he’s saying is madness! We’ve tried to hide our children before, and it doesn’t work ! But even if it did, they’d surely come and burn this town for vengeance’ sake, burn it flat—”

“Silence, ye coward.” It was Henchick, his voice as dry as a whipcrack.

Telford would have said more regardless, but his eldest son took his arm and made him stop. It was just as well. The clomping of the shor’boots had begun again. Telford looked at Eisenhart unbelievingly, his thought as clear as a shout: Ye can’t mean to be part of this madness, can ye?

The big rancher shook his head. “No point looking at me so, George. I stand with my wife, and she stands with the Eld.”

Applause greeted this. Roland waited for it to quiet.

“Rancher Telford says true. The Wolves likely will know where the children have been bunkered. And when they come, my ka-tet will be there to greet them. It won’t be the first time we’ve stood against such as they.”

Roars of approval. More soft clumping of boots. Some rhythmic applause. Telford and Eben Took looked about with wide eyes, like men discovering they had awakened in a lunatic asylum.