Summary

Life was improving for the Thornhills. The children were flourishing. River business was good. Troops had been stationed to patrol the river settlements. He still heard news in the new townships of outrages committed by blacks. One day when he returned home from a river trip Willie came running to meet him agitated because the blacks had come. Willie pointed out smoke where they had set up camp. Sal gave him some food and tobacco to take to the blacks but Thornhill thought better. He said if they kept giving them things there would never be an end of it. Sal agreed because Dan was listening, waiting for them to disagree. Thornhill said he would go down and talk to the blacks.

Two women and a child were in the camp when Thornhill walked up. He didn’t...