第26节

If I were a member of the Yama-Shita family I'd regard this as a golden

opportunity to get even - wouldn't you?"

Cadillac paled even further. 'Sweet Sky-Mother. It never occurred to

me -' 'That's because you had other more important things to think

about,' said Steve diplomatically. 'Truth is, we've both been

wrong-footed. I was hoping we'd get back in time." He shrugged.

'Never mind. We're still in with a chance." He eyed Malone. 'I'd

better get moving..."

'You're going now?!" cried Cadillac.

Steve mounted his horse. 'No point in wasting any time."

'But what about food?"

'Caddy! I wasn't planning to go totally empty-handed.

Can you rustle up some flat-bread and a pouchful of meat-twists?"

'I'll do better than that. I'll come with you!" 'uh-uh. No way.

You and our friend here have got some urgent business to attend to.

You'll be able to see things more clearly if I get out of your hair for

a while.

'All right. But you must have an escort. A hand of warriors, at

least."

'Caddy! I'm going on horseback! They'll never be able to keep up with

me!" Cadillac's confidence curve made an upswing. 'You might be able

to outrun them in the first two or three hours, but at the end of the

day, a Mute warrior will be still be running when your mount is on its

knees!" Steve capitulated. 'Okay. Go on ahead with Purple-Rain and

get things organized. I'll wait here with Malone."

'Don't you want to come into the settlement?"

'And get caught up in the celebrations? It'd take a week to get out of

there!" An hour later, Cadillac returned with six M'Call Bears led by

a warrior called Cat-Ballou and a She-Wolf, the ever hopeful

Night-Fever.

They were all volunteers who realised the importance of their mission

but apart from Night-Fever - who clearly had a more private celebration

in mind - Steve could see they were somewhat cheesed off at having to

miss out on the party which, apparently, had already got underway.

Having profited from Cadillac's absence to square things with Malone,

Steve took the Mute aside for a final word while his escort loaded the

provisions they had brought onto the two packhorses.

'Take care - and watch those breakers, huh?"

'I will..."

'And don't do anything rash while I'm gone."

'I don't intend to. But let's get one thing clear, Brickman. These

are my clanfolk, this is my land, attacking the wagon-train is my idea,

and from now on, I'm in charge."

Steve gathered the reins of his horse and climbed into the saddle.

'Caddy, I wouldn't have it any other way...

CHAPTER FIVE

Du-aruta, the Iron Master's name for the trading-post, was a derivation

of Duluth, Minnesota, the pre-H port situated at the western end of

Lake Superior. But this was, in fact, something of a misnomer. As the

accompanying maps show, Duluth had been built on the northern side of

the Lake whereas the trading post had been planted on the opposite

shore near its vanished trading panner, the port of Superior,

Wisconsin.

In the days when they were both thriving transit points for the Great

Lakes freight trade, Duluth and Superior were separated by the St Louis

River which snaked down from northern Minnesota then turned east into a

meandering estuary whose southern bank was eaten away by inlets and

bays. A triangular chunk of land - on which the town of Superior stood