William Wayne Dicksion

When but a twelve year old lad, Michael was sleeping in the back of the covered wagon when suddenly their small wagon train were attacked by Comanche Indians. While trying to get away, his father was struck through the chest with an arrow, another Indian pulled his mother – kicking, fighting, screaming -away from the wagon. The wagon hit a small boulder, which tipped it upside down, knocking Michael out in the process. The hoses pulled lose an ran. Two of the four Indians started scavenging whatever they found of worth out of the supplies. Mot of the supplies from William’s family wagon were strewn across the ground. Before the Indian outside his wagon looked underneath, the other ones called for him to help chase and catch the horses they needed for their tribal members. Just before they left Michael became conscious and scared – scared enough not to make a sound. He was bruised and slightly injured but he knew he had to hid before the Indians came back to finish their scavenging. He found a distant bush near boulders to hide. The Indians soon came back with the horses and continued their thorough searches. Finally they left. Still terrified, holding back tears, Michel waited a long time before going to bury his father and salvage anything the Indians may have left behind.

After digging for hours with a shovel he found, he buried his father but could not find his mother. It would have been dark before he could have dug her a grave, anyway.

He was able to salvage a flint kit, knife, an ax and the shovel. There were a few other keepsakes but he buried them for a later time. He salvage a pan and skillet, and a few items to cook and eat with. For supper he ended up eventually creating a very small fire and made gruel out of flour, salt and water to cook. He gave into sobs one again but made it through the night on a blanket he recovered. The next day he searched for a safe place to hide until another wagon train came along. He eventually found a hidden cave near a stream that was difficult to get to with a small opening. Once further inside, there was a fairly large space that would be great to live in.

From this point on, the story goes into detail on how he struggled to survive through the things his parents had taught him and by observing nature. The story tells of the next several years of his life, until one day he actually saves a couple of Mountain Men from an Indian attack. After that time, they become best friends and they lead him into civilization and introduces him to some key people. The adventure doesn’t end their but continues on until he, finally, settles own.

I know what you are thinking…this is too incredible to believe. I may have agreed if I didn’t have a heritage of “true western cowboys”. I have verified stories of incredible, miraculous experiences in many of their young lives. Children, in those days, never really had a “childhood”. Life was hard and they had to mature and grow up very young. Can you imagine a four -year-old boy abandoned on the range alone for four days and three nights, keeping a fire going, frying flour, grease and water together in order to eat? Impossible? No, it truly happened.

The adventure and action never ceases throughout the whole tale. The writing technique is astounding. The reader lives through each adventure with each character.

This is a great Historical Novel. There is action, adventure, grief, survival, loneliness, self-discipline, self teaching, creativity, friendship, romance and more. Plus, it is all “cleanly” written!… (mais)