Three days' march from Fort Bayard found the party of eight approaching the Peloncillo (pel-on-see-yo) Mountains.  Ponce and Chie had both been unusually active all day with the frequent setting of "peace fires", and heightened vigillence, as though they sensed the nearness of watching eyes.  Not long before darkness fell, the two Apaches disappeared over the crest of a low hill only to reappear after a short duration in the company of a lone Indian -- a particularly dirty and haggard figure of a man who was introduced to them as one of Cochise's men.  He was one of a group of some 60 Indians -- men, women and children -- who had been posted by Cochise as lookouts, and he and his small band had been monitoring the peace party's approach for at least a day's time with growing apprehension, as they did not know what to make of it.

     Howard, still steadfast with confidence, must have been at least a little disappointed to hear the old Indian's opinion that Cochise would not welcome their impending visit and, in fact, would not likely consider peace with the Americans.  It obviously affected Sladen in the negative, as is quite evident in reading his journal entries.  Howard asked what he might do to sway the old man's leader toward a more receptive disposition, and was told in no uncertain terms that, at the very least, he would have to cut down the size of his party before attempting to move any closer to the Dragoons.

     This meant going in with even less security, as it is generally accepted that there is strength in numbers.  But Howard did not resist this advice and ordered May, Streeter, and Stone to travel on to Fort Bowie, taking the wagon of supplies with them -- leaving only Jeffords, Sladen, Howard, Ponce and Chie to continue over the Peloncillos on a different route (one that would be pointed out to them by the Apache group they had just encountered).  There would be an added benefit from this action in that it would insure that Cochise's sharp-eyed sentinels posted at the highest peaks of the Dragoon Mountains would observe the group coming out of a secret pass known only to Apaches, as opposed to moving through poisoned Apache Pass wherein lay the army's Fort Bowie.  Cochise, always aware, would hopefully conclude that the approaching figures were being guided by some of his own men.

     This five man contingent struck out on the following morning, with little in the way of encouragement from their previous night's hosts, toward a secure place in the anals of American history.