- Matt stands at the edge of a clearing and accepts the hard truth: his dad is gone. Gulp. He is alone.
- He turns around to take a look at the log home. He thinks that it's a beaut'—and he remembers the work it took to build it. He and his pop cut the trees, notched the logs, and even spread the pine branches for the roof, and in the end, they made a pretty cozy little place. Matt even helped with planting some food in the back: pumpkins and corn. Nom nom.
- Matt doesn't like how quiet it is. While he's used to quiet, the quiet he hears now kind of gives him the heebie-jeebies.
- He knows, however, that this is all part of the grand family plan. They figured it out way back in Massachusetts in 1768, and the plan goes something like this:
- Matt and Dad travel to their new land in the Maine territory by taking a ship to the settlement near the Penobscot River, boating up the river, and then footing it through the woods until they reach their plot.
- Matt and Dad build the home base: cabin, clearing, crops.
- Dad returns to Massachusetts to nab the rest of the family (Mom, sister, new baby) while Matt guards the cabin.
- Matt remembers that the log house definitely didn't build itself, and he's struggled to sleep at night with every muscle in his body aching.
- While their cabin is no penthouse, he reminds himself that before winter comes they will add a loft to the one room, and then later they'll add a window and even a stone chimney.
- Matt remembers the conversation he'd had with his father before he left. Pa told him it would probably take about six weeks to return, and he advised Matt to notch sticks to keep track of time—Matt thought that was silly, but he didn't say so.
- Matt's dad handed Matt his silver watch and told him to wind it every day.
- Whoa. Matt realized that his dad was giving him the watch—a treasure from his grandpa. He's floored.
- He remembers the other gift his father gave him: his rifle. He walks over to it. When his dad gave it to him, he advised Matt to use the powder sparingly.
- Matt realizes that his dad was worried about him.
- He decides to give the rifle a try, loads it, and whistles a happy tune.
- He aims at a squirrel and misses. He's not as handy with the rifle as he was with his old gun.
- He heads back home and realizes that time flies when you're having fun—the trouble is though, that he's not having any.
- Matt realizes that he will turn thirteen before his fam arrives in August.