Chapter 5 Summary

At breakfast the next morning, the family sees that Julia is healing well. Now Penny makes it clear to his wife that he and Jody will be visiting the Forresters to trade the feist for a new gun. Jody is beside himself with excitement, mostly for the chance to see his friend Fodder Wing, but Ma is furious. The men see that Ma has water and split wood for the day, and they mount the horse, sharing a saddle bought from the Forresters. As they ride, Penny points out to his son the signs of early Spanish exploration, including the blazing of the trails they use. Jody, of course, wonders whether the Spaniards fought bears; his father assures him they fought all wild animals as well as the Indians.

Father and son pass through a variety of natural settings, enjoying the birdsong and...