When Juan found the other Vaquero

 Page 6.

When Juan found the other Vaquero named Pedro, they both saw the strange man climbing to the top of a nearby mountain on horseback screaming wildly, “ give me back my hand”?  Juan told the priest both he and Pedro searched for the man but never found him but they did find one of the many villages scattered alone the California coast of Costanoan “coast people”. The Costanoan’s told them of a white man who’s been roaming the hills and valley’s with great power. They reported he was found on the beach half dead and severely burned and taken to a village over the hills near the bay. He was cared for and recovered and told the villager’s he spoke to the stars but this angered the sun who burned his face and took his ivory hand? His says the sun gave his hand to a young girl and the hand is very powerful and must be returned to him and the girl must be killed. Father Mendez knew what this meant and knew the mission and it’s people were in great danger.

The Sakla-n tribe who inhabited the eastern end of he peninsula where warriors and willing to fight for any reason and with just two days ride away from the mission Father Mendez and the Vaquero’s were outnumbered. That afternoon Father Mendez spoke to Jade about the Ivory hand and without telling her of the possible connection to Finley they decided to bury the object somewhere away from the mission. Jade sensed something was wrong and her mind raced back to the deck of the Topaz but she was sure Finley was dead? How could he have survived knowing everything on the Topaz was burned and destroyed or was it?  Father Mendez asked Jade to tell no one and to bury the hand in a place only she would know, so she and Scratch placed the wrapped ivory hand into a basket and walked quietly passed the corn fields, orchards and vineyards and stopped near a slow moving creek covered in shady green willows. As Scratch jumped into the clear running water the large willows lined the creek as it snaked it’s way directly to the ocean as many of the creeks and streams did along the coast. It was late afternoon and many of the night creatures where beginning to stir.

Black crowned night herons began to leave the willows and fly upstream for their nighttime feeding. A blue kingfisher practiced it’s diving almost landing on Scratch as the three legged dog splashed like a puppy in the knee high water. Jade brought nothing to dig with so as not to arouse suspicion and looked to make sure that she had not been followed. Finding a heavy flat rounded river rock shaped like a turtle shell just above the creek she lifted it up and scrapped out enough dirt for the ivory hand to fit.  And just as she covered the hand with the stone she heard a fast running horse coming in her direction interrupting the tranquil sounds of the running stream, it was Juan and he was at full gallop. Scratch heard it too and quickly ran next to Jade and stood as a sentry as Juan jumped from his horse and said, “Jade, come quick there’s trouble at the mission”.  Juan helped Jade board his chestnut mare named Reina and together they rode back while Jade clutched Scratch in one of her arms.