Don Pedro Garcia, Juan Garcia's father, impatiently measured time in the number of forced marches the horses could endure. He was an old man now, and he wanted to see his son who, rumor had it, was alive among the Indians of the Great Plains. Don Pedro's lieutenant, Ramon Cabeza, was also troubled, for no matter how fast the search party traveled, the Indians always seemed to know their movements days in advance. What neither man knew for certain was that Don Pedro's son was alive, now a chief among the Elk-dog bank; and that the feared Head Splitters were preparing to make war upon the intruders who had violated their lands.