Rendezvous Prize — Robert M. Johnson

In this third volume of the Sam Ogden series, Rendezvous Prize, young Sam is about to take his place among the great Mountain Men of his times. Trained by his mentor, Clyde Patterson, in the use of both wilderness tools and weapons, he shows his exceptional skills in the competitions so loved by the Mountain Men at their Rendezvous gatherings. He is declared the winner of all three tournament events: Hatchet Throwing, Knife Throwing and the Rifle Shoot. For winning all three events, his exciting prize will be an important part of his brand as a Mountain Man! Young Sam had never seen an Appaloosa horse before that day at the Rendezvous. The horse was an exquisite dappled white mare, and her coloring showed her to be of the blood lines of those horses called Leopard Appaloosas. These special horses came from breeding farms in Spain that had been developing horses since the Middle Ages. This mare would be his prize for winning the tournament competitions that year of 1825. This Rendezvous of 1825 also marked Sam Ogden's first encounter with the Mandan Indians who will become his adopted family. Some of the friendly tribes gathered with the Mountain Men at their Rendezvous and the Mandans were especially impressed with the skills of young Sam. They will play an important part in his next adventures, in Volume Four.