Chapters 31 and 32 Summary

Adam Harmon's first instruction to his sons is to kill their calf. He believes that beef tea will be the best medicine for Mary Ingles. They build up the fire in the cabin, wrap Mary in a buffalo hide and begin working to save her life. They say that they know Will Ingles, that he is a good man, and that they'll be disgraced if they allow his wife to die. Junior kills the calf and quickly brings in a slab of meat. Adam Harmon has water boiling and is applying hot compresses to Mary's swollen limbs. Adams allows Mary only a little broth, and the two boys take turns standing sentry outside. At one point, Junior asks Hank where Mary has been for the past five months. Hank suggests that she's been lost, wandering around the woods.

When Mary awakes...