Chapters 7, 8 and 9 Summary

The family continues to exist on coons and squirrels that Tobias kills and the flour ground from cattails. Tobias is once again approached by a Confederate recruiter, this one looking for men to cut logs and split rails for fortifications against the Federal army. Once more Tobias is forced to leave Emma and Zech and follows the officer into the woods. After a few weeks of heavy work, the logging crew is approached by charging Federals soldiers forcing the crew members to scatter into the woods. Tobias hides until the battle is over and takes a pistol, a rifle, a knife and some canned beef from the saddlebag of a dead Union soldier. Tobias then mounts the dead soldier's horse and heads home.

Tobias arrives home to find that his house, barn and smokehouse have been burned to the ground by...