Chapter 30 Summary

Mother drives the stolen Land Cruiser as fast as she can through the darkness over the twenty-eight miles of rutted track to Awawas. The river mud on Father smells like death. His face is blue-white. Once they reach the river, several Indians recognize the Spellgoods' car and greet them. Mother starts barking orders, demanding a boat, food and water. She tends to Father's wound. He has been shot in the neck. His spine is not broken, but red strings and fat are exposed in the wound. The Indians carry Father to a flatboat and give the Foxes beans, rice and coffee to take with them. As the Foxes leave, Father weakly raises his head and asks if they are going upriver. Mother tells him yes, as they turn the boat downstream.

At night, the Foxes anchor near mission villages. Mother demands food, water...