"No," said Pete. "He died about five years ago, but Captain William Couch, and I'm sure he's on the border, took over. He made another attempt to establish a colony in 1885. When that colony was disbanded by soldiers, the Boomers decided that no one can fly in the face of the law. So they tried to have the unassigned lands legally declared open to homesteaders. There was plenty of opposition. Most of it came from the cattlemen who did not want to lose their free range, but the Indian tribes worked against it too. However, the Boomers won, and here we are." "Were you a Boomer?" Mindy asked breathlessly. "I was a Boomer," Pete said. "I've been in there three times, and three times I've been marched out by soldiers. But though the soldiers did hold Captain Payne and a few others prisoners for a while, about all they ever did to the rest was escort us back over the border. Because I know the country, I know where your dad and I can get ourselves two of the prettiest claims in Oklahoma if someone doesn't already have them." "How can anyone already have them?" Alec questioned. "The border isn't supposed to be opened before high noon on the 22nd of April." Pete sounded a little grim. "That's right, Alec, and nobody who crosses before that time is supposed to have legal title to any land he may stake. But a lot of people have gone in anyhow. They're hiding in the thickets and along the creek bottoms. They'll stake land, and some of them will get away with it. There aren't enough soldiers to find all of them and bring them back." "What will you do if some of them are on the claims you and Dad want?" Cindy asked. "Then there could be an argument," Pete said. "If we lose to somebody who crosses when he should, well and good. But we won't lose to anyone who has sneaked across before he should." "Do you think there'll be trouble?" Alec sounded worried. "I doubt it, Alec, but we must be ready if it comes." [Illustration] Mindy knitted puzzled brows. "There is much I do not understand." "If you have any questions," Pete said, "I'll try to answer them." "Thank you, Mr. Brent. Please tell me how close we are to Oklahoma." "We could almost throw a stone into it from this wagon," Pete said. "Then why," Mindy asked, "can't the first people across simply stake the first claims they find?" "They can do just that, and some of them will," Pete said. "But a great many people here on the border know where the best claims are. They're old-time Boomers, or they've been in before, or in some cases, a group of people have banded together to send a scout on ahead to find them a place. The really hot race will be for the best land." "I see," said Mindy, "but you speak of claims. How are people to know where their claim ends and another begins?"