Will's Race for Home

George and Caesar scout for a safe place to ford. Caesar measures the river’s depth with a weighted rope while George wades in to test the current. They identify a path clear of wreckage.

Will asks to ride on Midnight with Caesar, and George agrees. They assume their positions and prepare to enter the water. Will tries to encourage Belle, but inside, he is afraid.

Belle follows Midnight into the river. When a submerged boulder jars the wagon, Belle begins to sink into quicksand. Will is moved by Belle’s determination and loyalty, but he has to do something to help her. George chops a plank from a cedar chest to provide traction, and Will dives into the rushing water with it. He slides the plank under Belle’s hooves. The mule struggles, and Will is terrified they will all drown. Finally, however, Belle pushes off the plank, freeing the wagon. They reach the far bank exhausted but safe.

In the days before April 22, they press on without rest, aware they are behind schedule. Caesar hunts, Will cooks, and George and Caesar tend the animals, giving Belle special attention.

They push themselves and the animals as fast as possible, but fatigue slows them down as the deadline approaches.

On April 20, miles from the starting line, Belle is too exhausted to continue at pace. George accepts that they will not arrive on time and claim land. Will, however, is not ready to give up, and volunteers to ride Midnight alone, arguing his lighter weight gives the horse the best chance. George refuses, but Caesar supports Will. Will states it is his duty as the first Samuels born free. George embraces him and agrees.

Quickly, Caesar saddles Midnight while George packs claim supplies and instructs Will on how to stake their claim. Caesar offers Will his Colt revolver for protection. George objects, but Caesar insists Will needs it and instructs the boy on how to use it. Will can tell that his father is afraid, but this makes him feel loved.

Caesar ties Will onto the saddle so he won’t fall if he becomes tired. He tells Will that Midnight will give him “his heart” if the boy asks and assures him Belle will track him to the new claim. After saying goodbye to Belle, Will rides into the night.

Will rides through the night, battling exhaustion. He nearly falls asleep in the saddle, but Midnight stops short, jolting him awake. Will dismounts to rest and share water with the horse.

The horse kneels to help him remount. The brief rest renews Will’s resolve, and he urges Midnight forward.

At sunrise on April 22, Will and an exhausted Midnight reach the starting line, joining thousands of settlers. A preacher’s family invites him to ride with them, but he declines. He is frightened by the number of assembled people and fears he won’t manage to claim any land.

At noon, a bugle sounds, and the land rush begins. Will fights through the crowd, finds an opening, and breaks free. He calls on Midnight to summon the last of his strength, and the horse races west toward open country.

That afternoon, Will finds “the promised land,” a 160-acre plot with a stream and trees (158). After tending to Midnight, he spends hours walking the perimeter and hammering stakes to mark his boundaries. The work takes a long time, and Will is exhausted, but he is determined to finish the task.

At sunset, he eats and drinks from the stream. Later, a shriek in the dark awakens him. He rebuilds his fire and stands guard with the revolver for the rest of the night.

The next morning, Will proudly waits for George and Caesar. However, three men—a farmer named Bill and two cowboys—ride in. Bill pulls up a stake, declares the land his, and produces a fraudulent bill of sale. Will reads the paper and calls out the lie.

As the men advance, Will grabs his revolver, aims it, and orders them off the land. Bill walks forward until his chest touches the barrel, but Will holds his ground, recounting his family’s journey and insisting he will kill to defend his claim. Impressed by Will’s bravery, Bill backs down, and the men leave. Will collapses, shaken and surprised. He wonders if killing Bill would have been the right thing to do and knows that “the boy in [him] is done” (168).

Later, Will sees Belle leading the wagon toward him. He runs to meet George and Caesar as they arrive. George hugs him and surveys the land with pride, unaware of the “awful price” Will almost paid for the property. While George celebrates, Caesar studies Will, sensing he has changed.

During the first month, the men plant their first crops and set up camp. George tells Will he has sent for Ma and Grandpa. At this news, Caesar grows withdrawn, and Will worries that his family will discover that he almost shot a man to defend his claim. He plays a mournful tune on his harmonica, feeling a silent bond with Caesar over their unspoken violent encounters.

In autumn, George leaves to get Ma and Grandpa, and Will confronts Caesar, knowing he intends to leave. Caesar asks about the claim jumpers, and Will admits he was ready to kill. “Stricken,” Caesar urges Will to follow his father’s example and warns him about the cost of taking a life.

Will muses that a man must protect his land, but admits that killing is wrong. He is “confused,” and Caesar tells him that freedom demands sacrifices. Will thanks Caesar for fighting in the war, and Caesar tells him it was worth it to see Will grow up to be a man. Caesar says an emotional goodbye, mounts Midnight, and rides west. Will watches him go, recognizing his boyhood has ended.

At Christmas, the family celebrates a successful harvest in their new cabin. Ma and a frail Grandpa are there, and they leave an empty chair for Caesar. Will announces his dream to raise horses, which George and Grandpa dismiss as impractical.

Will insists, hinting at what he did to safeguard their land. Recognizing the weight of the unspoken event, Father respects Will’s independence and agrees to buy a foal in the spring. Later, Will shares his plans with Belle in the barn and plays his harmonica, imagining the future.