Chapter 1
Sunlight entered the tavern through the open door. Rebecca Boone's screaming could be heard loud and clear on the sunny quiet day in mid June.
Cincinnatus left his gun on the counter, making noise enough, making sure Mingo heard it. He couldn't stand by, and have harm come to Rebecca Boone or her daughter. The Indian, who was her husband's best friend, who had protected her many times, was now the worst threat of her life. Cincinnatus hurried out from behind his counter, into the middle of his tavern. Jemima shook herself more aware and seeing Mingo's actions, started screaming as loud as her mother. She rose from where she lay to try to force Mingo away from her mother.
Mingo let go of Rebecca, and swatted Jemima with the back of his hand, sending her crashing to the floor. He batted at her as if she was nothing more than an annoying insect.
Jemima didn't utter a sound, although she had a split, bleeding lip. She started to crawl toward the door.
Rebecca clawed Mingo's arms as much as she could; he was taller, stronger, but she was fierce and very angry. Mingo tried to lift her skirts; he was still holding her down on the table with his left arm.
A voice boomed suddenly inside the tavern, "Let her go now. You're a dead man." Daniel's abrasive tone left no room from misinterpretation.
Behind Daniel, Israel rushed in. He took in the whole scene, saw his sister crawling on all fours, his mother's dress torn, and Mingo's hand going to his Ma's throat. Israel immediately turned into as fierce a combatant as his father ever was. "Let Ma go, you filthy Injun, or I'll kill you! Pa, shoot him! Kill him now, Pa!"
Jemima got up quickly, and half-lifting, half-pushing Israel ahead of her, she took him outside, where a crowd of onlookers was gathering
Daniel repeated more loudly, "You have 5 seconds to live. Let her go. Now!"
Mingo removed his hand, very slowly, from inside Rebecca's dress and turned toward Daniel. "Five seconds you say, Daniel. But I'm still alive. Ain't I?" There was mockery in the false accent Mingo used. "You cannot kill me, I'm family, and I'm your brother. Brothers share alike, Daniel. You have not shared much with me, brother. You have been a bad brother. Time for things to change now, brother."
His hand tightened around Rebecca's neck. Then he let go and hit Rebecca so hard, she fell down in a heap. He stared Daniel down, who was so worried for his wife that he went straight to her, lowering his gun, ignoring her assailant.
Mingo started to laugh as he walked out of the tavern.
He went right through the onlookers, his whip out, daring anyone to challenge him. He walked right out of the fort, to the scream of Israel's hateful words of revenge.
No one had done anything to stop him.
Everyone knew this was a job that belonged only to Daniel Boone.
Daniel spoke to no one. He picked up his wife, his daughter, Tick Licker, and he called to Israel. Together, the Boones left the fort and headed home.
They left behind them a settlement agitated beyond belief.
Cincinnatus served hot tea and strong ale to everyone, nodding his head, unable to speak. He kept turning the last few moments every which way possible - the fact remained and nothing changed them. Mingo had walked in, hit Jemima for no reason and tried to … he couldn't even think about it, it was just too much, too unbelievable, for the old tavern keeper.
"Israel, two buckets of water inside, quickly!" ordered Daniel as soon as they reached the cabin.
Mother and daughter ran into Rebecca's and Daniel's bedroom, Jemima was crying, hurting and the two women needed to comfort one another in a way that Daniel couldn't.
He started a fire and when Israel brought the water, he filled a clean kettle with one of the buckets. He could at least provide his women with warm water to wash. He kept the second bucket so they could use the cooler water to soothe their bruising.
Israel was still raging "You goin' to kill him, Pa? You have to kill him. Everyone saw what he did. I saw what he did. He has to die, Pa."
Emotions were rapidly overwhelming the small boy, barely seven. He was so deeply attached to Mingo, and now he kept wishing him dead; it was producing raw pain in his soul. He started to cry and went toward his father's strong arms for reassurance, perhaps for understanding. "Why, Pa? Why did Mingo do this?
Daniel had no words for his son.
June 19th, 1777, two days later.
William Hartford and his son Henry arrived in Boonesborough two days later. They had bought the Crawfords' cabin and land when old man Crawford had passed the word around that he wanted out of a settler's life.
The settlement was still abuzz with rumors and gossip; the Boone women attacked in the heart of the fort by a man they had trusted for more than a year. "Savages" were never to be trusted. Bad blood was running wild and many were quite willing to launch a lynch party, and help Daniel Boone on his hunt.
Daniel had gone to the fort, while Hartford was himself getting fresh supplies, to get more powder and to calm everyone down. He came with another Indian, a man he introduced only as the warrior sent by Menewa. The two of them would hunt Mingo and bring him back. Daniel was firm – this was a responsibility and a job he would do himself. He had agreed to Menewa's terms only because of the treaty between the settlers and the Cherokees. It was obvious to everyone that if he could leave the Indian behind on the trail, he would. Mingo was his. And anyone trying to get in his way would be sorry.
The Hartfords' arrival gave everyone fuel for the fire. The farmers and settlers of Boonesborough had plenty to talk about around their supper tables. Cincinnatus' tavern was filled every night.
Daniel tried to be as welcoming as possible. However, he left Cincinnatus in charge of most of it. He took the older man aside and asked him to look in on his wife and his children. Rebecca refused to move to the fort during Daniel's absence; she didn't want to face the gossip and pity she was expecting. Furthermore, Jemima had a lot of bruises that she didn't want people to see. So after making sure that Cincinnatus would be there for his family, Daniel left Boonesborough armed with anger and once more, with an Indian warrior at his side.
Rain Cloud was an old friend of Mingo's. He was the first to openly befriend the man who had returned from England thirteen years before. Rain Cloud had helped Mingo a lot during his first few hunts; he taught him many of the ways, forgotten in the land of his white father. Everyone in the tribe welcomed their lost member, but Rain Cloud made sure that Mingo reacquainted himself with all the traditions. Mingo had seen him court and marry Bright Rainbow, had seen the joy and pride when his daughters were born. So it was just and fair that Rain Cloud been given the task of bringing home the one who brought dishonor to the tribe.
They left at mid-day. Daniel stopped at home long enough to embrace his wife and daughter, to admonish Israel to protect and listen to his Ma and to mind his manners. Becky's bruises were turning yellowish, but Jemima's were still very dark blue; she didn't like going outdoors for fear of being seen.
Rain Cloud was quiet, his English was passable. He was an excellent tracker; given everything he knew about Mingo, Daniel had no doubts about it.
They started hunting.
June 24th, 1777, morning - 5 days later
Rain Cloud was a quiet companion. He trekked in silence, ate in silence, slept silently. Daniel felt as if the man was a shadow at his side. It helped him accept his presence. Rain Cloud was shorter by a head, but his stride was as quick and as steadfast as Daniel's. His eyes were very dark and very secretive.
They followed a trail that led them north, encountering few people. They found a corpse in a ditch, a strong Wyandot man, in the prime of his life with a bullet hole straight through the heart. He had been left to rot as if he was a warning of painful things to come. They stopped long enough to bury him and to scout around the area. Who had done this and why? Daniel and Rain Cloud knew the marks of Mingo's footprints. There was no doubt in their mind that he had done the deed. The Mingo they knew would never have left a dead man to suffer such degradation, left to the elements and animals of the forests.
According to Rain Cloud, Mingo was just a little ahead of them, alone.
Their nights were short. They slept in turns, walking endlessly during the day, eating only because they had to.
They were hunting the man who had been their best friend. There were no words to share and no time to waste.
The task and the duty were encompassing everything. The hunt was on, and neither would turn back until the hunted was found.