- Three days later, while Matt collects firewood, his dog starts barking like a madman (er, dog).
- When Matt looks, he sees shapes moving toward the cabin… and he realizes it's his family. Yay.
- Matt runs to his dad, and his dad throws down his pack to grab him in a bear hug; his mom and sister are both there as well.
- Matt helps his mother through the cabin door and realizes she is pale and weak. She tells him she had to get there before Christmas, no matter what.
- His dad explains: they all caught typhus, and it zapped their strength. But thanks to his mom (who shouldn't have been traveling yet), they pushed on to get to Matt as soon as possible.
- Matt tells them it wasn't so terrible to be alone, thanks to his Indian friends and Indian brother. This announcement makes quite a splash, and Matt knows it will take a long time for his family to even begin to understand the whole Indian-thing.
- While unpacking the sled, Matt's dad tells him that the baby died after five days; Matt wishes he could hide the cradle from his ma, but it's too late for that.
- Matt's pop turns to Matt and tells him that he's mighty proud of him.
- Matt feels like he could burst—he knows now how Attean felt when he finally became a hunter.
- Matt feels like a king as he unpacks all the goodies from the sled, including a new rifle for his dad and his old musket.
- Inside Sarah unpacks and tells Matt that his dog is a bit weird.
- Matt tells her he's an Indian dog, and that she's come to like him soon enough. He can't believe Sarah's so big now, but she's still her sassy and spunky self. He figures he'll make her a bow soon.
- His mother slowly moves around the cabin, admiring everything Matt's done to prepare for their arrival.
- Then she holds his shoulders and looks up at him. She tells him he's so tall and brown and thin, he looks almost like an Indian; Matt "jokes" that he almost was one.
- His mom tells him that more people are moving to the area and want to start a mill, but Matt's only somewhat happy to hear this news. He likes the forest.
- He wishes he could tell Attean and Saknis that his family came.
- He also hopes that Attean and his clan find another good hunting ground, with all the white people coming.
- He heads out to the snow and decides that over supper, he will tell them all about Attean.