Part 1 The Forty-Niner, pgs. 109-148 Summary

The eighth chapter relates how, seeing smoke, the Mountain men storm into battle. Having been lucky to lose few men and wagons, the party awaits the safety of the next caravan and learns that the dread Apaches lie ahead. Wootton rejoins them, bringing word that the deserters have perished. He leads them to Santa Fe, which Susie and Flashy scout. The U.S. Army lacks manpower to escort anyone out of the area, which is circled by hostiles. Even if they join another wagon train, it is a long brutal trip to California. The U.S. occupation, coming on top of Spanish and Mexican atrocities, has fueled Indian hatred. Many white immigrants approve of the old proyecto de guerra—a euphemism for scalp-hunting—which offers bounties to the eager hunters. Observing the vibrant...