Chapters 20 through 22 Summary

In "The Indian in the Treetop," there is a creek that flows into the lake and near that creek is a cliff that "strongly resembled the head of an Indian." Robert is always cautious as he passes by this point, fearing that the head might somehow be a threat. Karl believes the Indians to be lazy and Kristina feels sorry for them because they seem scrawny and malnourished. Robert, however, believes that the Indians are probably derisive of the whites for wasting so much energy on work. One day Robert and Arvid are talking and Robert confides that he plans to leave Minnesota for the gold fields of California as soon as the spring thaws come. He reminds Arvid of their mutual pledge to remain together in America but Arvid initially refuses to commit. He reminds Robert that Danjel paid his...