SPOTTED HORSE

The author's familiarity with Indian lore and his seasoned knowledge of horses have produced a crisp well-paced tale centered on an Indian boy's odyssey to the land of the ""bearded men"" where he finds in earthly, tangible form the realization of a vision. The Nimapu tribe of the West had received word of a new and useful animal in their land. Mots-kay, an inexperienced young warrior, convinces his people that he will bring back the unusual animal called the horse. Long days of travel take Mots-kay through the Shoshonee territory where he finds a herd of horses and is given several in trade. But misfortune awaits the young Indian. He is soon captured by the Spaniards and forced into slavery. His only compensation is the growing bond between himself and a beautiful spotted horse for whom he forgoes a chance to escape. When the time is ripe, Mots-kay takes his beloved animal and heads back to his own land. The subdued handling of exciting adventure creates an extremely effective story.