Woods Runner

Preceding this chapter is an informational passage, “The Americans,” which discusses the details of the American army, its organization, and some of its weapons.

The chapter opens with a reflection on the limits of childhood on the frontier: “Childhood ended when it was possible to help with chores; for a healthy boy or girl, it ended at eight or nine, possibly ten” (34). Samuel, at 13, has moved beyond chores and “become the provider for his family” (34) due to his parents’ limited skills with hunting and tracking. Samuel has become so familiar with the woods that he interprets the smallest sounds, smells, or sights. This knowledge sets him apart from other people both in practice and in reputation.

Waking up the day after the attack, Samuel gets moving before dawn. He uses the new daylight to read the tracks around the cabins and determine the movements of the attack. He decides that the attackers will be moving slowly because of prisoners. He uses this information to determine the speed of the party and the length of time they’ve been moving; this gives him a general sense of how far ahead of Samuel they are and when he’ll catch up with them.