Part 1 Summary

Part 1, "Salt Draw," began with the tale of a flash flood that plagued High Lonesome, the home of the Casey family. The main character, Lily, was ten years old. She was outside with her little brother Buster, who was 9 years old, and their little sister, Helen, who was 7 years old. There was very little warning before the flood hits. Lily manages to set the animals free. Lily stated, "Those old cows knew trouble was coming before we did." (Part 1, p. 3).

Lily, Buster, and Helen make it to a large cottonwood tree just before the flood hits. They children are forced to spend the night in the tree. Lily used every trick that she knew to keep Buster and Helen awake and therefore preventing them from falling out of the tree and drowning. By morning the water recedes enough to allow the children to...