Chapter 3, Family Matters Summary

Tycho awakens the following morning, and moments later Richard enters Tycho's bedroom - where many of Richard's clothes still reside - to get dressed for the day. Tycho watches in wonder as his brother puts on a pair of perfectly good briefs and then, on top, another pair full of holes. The rest of Richard's outfit is just as odd, consisting of "dirty and frayed" jeans patched in several places and a sky-blue jerkin.

Still upset at the threat of Africa's near return, Richard tries to drag Tycho into commiserating with him. Tycho wants no part of it, saying that Richard shouldn't worry about it because it didn't happen "this time." Richard is intrigued by this statement and questions his brother about its meaning. Tycho theorizes that Africa is bound to return home to their parents' house sooner or...