Chapter 11 Summary

The MacDonalds reluctantly attend the memorial service for Ben ten days after he disappears. Even after two months, Esther and William refuse to believe Ben is dead.

Esther has become pale and gaunt, sleeping restlessly. William looks even worse. For a week after Ben's disappearance, he was in the saddle 20 hours per day. He followed the Red River all the way to Lake Winnipeg and back the other side, but found no trace of Ben. John is suffering as well, but he has accepted that Ben is dead. He sees no way a small child could have survived in the wild so long. With Coral and Beth, Esther continues to walk concentric circles around the farm, searching for Ben.

Finally, in the 8th week of the search, John begins to comb the area southwest of the farm. Everyone thinks Ben was headed towards...