Chapter 16 Summary

Hattie spends a great deal of time with Perilee as the day for her baby to be born draws near. They are working together in an effort to finish a quilt for the baby, and while Perilee promises that the baby will not be born before the quilt is done, it is a promise she is unable to keep. Karl comes racing through one night to tell her that the baby is coming. Hattie heads for their homestead immediately, telling him to go ahead and get Leafie. When Hattie arrives, the children are worried and Perilee is much closer to delivering her baby than even Hattie wants to admit.

She prays Leafie will get there in time, but begins preparations just in case. Chase, as the oldest, is in need of some way to be useful, so Hattie puts him to work filling...