Chapters 13 through 16 of Part I Summary

In Chapter 13, Chiko crawls over to Tai. They both are okay - in pain - but okay. The sergeant is heading toward the river with the other recruits. Tai thought that Chiko was distracting the driver so he could climb in the truck. Chiko explains that he was asking the driver to take a letter to his mother asking her to find his sister and watch over her. Tai is pleased and grateful. They walk out hand in hand - which is the way men walk with their good friends - to the river where the other recruits are lined up. They tell the others that they are okay - even though they're in pain.

The sergeant tells the boys they will be gathering stones from the middle of the river and bringing them to...