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Suddenly a bugle sounded across the valley. A gunshot cracked the air. A second shot and then a third. Casita threw herself flat on the ground and crawled to the edge to see. At the crest of the rising hill across the river, a row of soldiers appeared, the sun at their backs. Hundreds of them, wearing the blue woolen uniform of the US Cavalry. To the sound of a merry bugle, the soldiers charged straight for her home.
Crouched on the ledge Casita couldn’t move, couldn’t tear her eyes away. Although the soldiers were across the river, their noise was deafening. They were shouting and wildly shooting their guns into the air. She heard yells from the village; they knew danger was coming.
Juanita crawled out to look. She cried out when she saw the soldiers. “The Americans cannot cross the great river!” Juanita cried.
“They did!” Casita answered.
“We have to tell the village!” Juanita stood up to warn them.
Casita pulled Juanita to the ground. “Stay down! They know!”
The Lost Ones
The Lost Ones is really the story of two children, Casita and her little brother Jack. They were members of a Lipan band of Apaches who lived in Mexico in the 1870’s. Their band was killed by the US Fourth Cavalry and the children were captured. The tribe never knew what happened to them, but they never forgot. They kept the memory of Casita and Jack alive until they figured out their fate. I worked closely with the family to make sure that I represented their story fairly and accurately. Check out this documentary about their story.
(the only two pictures of Casita and Jack)
Book Details
- List Price: 17.95
- Ages: 9 - 12
- Grades: 4 - 7
- Pages: 256
- Published: 10/2016 (Calkins Creek)
- Size: 5.5" x 8.25"
- Title: The Lost Ones
- Author: Michaela MacColl