Gus McCrae raced across the prairie with his face distorted in horror. In a blinding flash of lightning, Call saw the Indian pursuing his friend raise his spear and burst into the pitch darkness with a piercing war cry. This was the first serious test of the young rangers on the path to wealth and fame. But harsh everyday life, skirmishes with Indians, hunger and thirst, captivity, death of comrades and betrayal did not break two brave and pure-hearted adventurers.