Chapter 23 Summary

The first frost comes at the end of November, and now the family spends the quiet evenings sitting together in front of the fire. Flag is allowed in the house in the evening, and he even sleeps in Jody's room. Ma figures this at least keeps the fawn out of trouble. Jody has grown considerably over the past months, and Ma makes a joke about it, which pleases Penny and Jody no end. Penny proclaims that the winter looks to be mild, and they came out better than he had expected in terms of crops and meat. He feels they have fended off starvation.

Just as Penny is about to turn in for the night, the dogs bark and the calf screams, and Penny races for his gun. Three-dozen wolves have invaded the lot. They have killed the heifer calf. The wolves are...