What do you think Kiser means when he says, "the cost of freedom comes mighty dear sometimes"? (See ch. 4.)

Kiser means that being on their own threatens their security. Mary Call gathers the family and tells them that Kiser wished them luck and warned them that sometimes freedom comes at a price. The children wonder what they are going to do, but Mary Call tells them about her wildcrafting idea. Romey asked why they never tried wildcrafting before, and Mary Call says she does not know. She secretly thinks that it is because Roy Luther was too proud and thought it was a woman's or child's task, instead of men's work, like farming. The children begin to study the book and learn about different plants, but Devola is not able to remember much of what they learned.