Summary

Spring turns to summer. The children are kept busy picking berries — one day going as far as Chimney Rock, on the watch for rattlesnakes. They find a four-foot-long skeleton of a rattler, and they hardly notice the sound of a live rattler making its warning known. They rush home, after which they are put to work doing the churning that will keep them in butter for a year. The family also gets news that cousin Annabelle will be visiting from Boston.

The summer session of school starts, and Tom gets to put his rattler skeleton on the wall of the school. Indian John’s ragged-looking dog accompanies Caddie to school.

One day the dog raises a ruckus, and the teacher asks Caddie to quiet her dog. But when Caddie goes out to check, she sees the dog is howling over an approaching fire. Obediah sets to...