Chapters 3 & 4 Summary

In chapter three, Cotton tells the boys to gather anything they need, but to act quietly and quickly and meet in the truck shed.

In flashback it is revealed that Lally 1 had attempted to send a letter home, against Cotton's orders. Cotton had caught him and torn it up. Lally 1 (Stephen) had retaliated by killing all of the "pets" that the boys had gathered—lizards, spiders and even his brother's crippled jackrabbit.

The boys are all dressed in the camp uniform—blue jackets, wool shirts, tight Levi's and cowboy boots—but each has adopted their own individual headgear. The boys have brought along unnecessary gear. Lally 2 has brought his pillow, Goodenow a buffalo head. The significance of Lally 2's pillow has been hinted at (it acts a kind of security blanket to him) but the significance of the buffalo head...