Freeman discovers that his own home has survived, but the Murray ranch has been burned and its family attacked, while his young son Fulton has been carried away by Maroz, forcing Decker and Freeman to pursue without provoking the captors into harming the child. The Apaches use Fulton as both a shield and a means of tormenting his parents as they retreat toward the mountains, and Decker, Freeman, and Mendez follow signals, tracks, springs, and hidden trails through a dangerous contest of concealment and deception. Although Mendez briefly loses control after drinking tiswin, he recovers and infiltrates the hostile camp, where he discovers that Cemuri, believed to have been killed, has only pretended to join Maroz and Ceballos in order to undermine them and aid the rescuers. Through the courage and cunning of Cemuri and Mendez, Fulton is freed from his rocky prison and restored to his father, while the intended uprising is crushed by the cavalry’s prompt action and Decker’s bravery and devotion are fully vindicated.