The captain was a madwoman with a scattergun. The soldiers were a whore, a surveyor's assistant, a writer, a crusty old Irishman, two murderous brothers, a criminal, and a county hunter. And the only way out of the mountains was on a frigid river that flowed toward the Missouri--a river running with blood.

Texas-born Cole Anthem was the bounty hunter. He had followed an outlaw right into the middle of a major Indian uprising and a battle that turned into a slaughter. Now Cole and the other survivors of a raging Cheyenne war are taking the only chance they have: riding a woman's keelboat toward safety. But up and down the Rogue, a glory-mad chief hasn't given up. His warriors are armed and waiting--to spill the white men's blood...