Book 1, Chapter 3 Summary

Zabeth has a son who is 15 or 16. His father is a trader from a tribe in the south. The son, Ferdinand, used to live with his father, but is now back with Zabeth. She brings him to town to go to school and asks Salim to look after him. Salim is uncomfortable, but says "yes." He tries to interest Ferdinand in his science magazines, but Ferdinand is not interested. In the following weeks, Salim watches Ferdinand try on different personalities. First, he acts like a schoolboy, then like a stern-faced man from another tribe, then like a forest warrior. One day, he asks Salim to send him to school in America. Salim asks angrily why Ferdinand acts like Salim owes him something. Salim has lunch with friends, and they say Ferdinand has been telling people that Salim was sending him to...