Chapter 15
What did Abner offer to Micah and Martha in exchange for a meal?
Answer: He offered to have Samuel sharpen their tools.
Why did Samuel have to leave his rifle behind before crossing into New York?
Answer: Carrying a rifle would immediately draw the attention of British patrols.
Why was the rain considered a "godsend" for the rescue?
Answer: The rain meant there would be fewer British troops out in the streets.
What did Matthew ask for in return for helping Samuel’s family escape?
Answer: He simply asked that they help others when they are able.
Where did Samuel’s family eventually settle?
Answer: They moved to Philadelphia.
According to Abner, where did the war originally start?
Answer: He said the war started in Boston.
What did Samuel ask Matthew to do with Annie if he did not return from the city?
Answer: He asked Matthew to adopt her into his own family.
How did Samuel and Abner get past the guard at the sugar mill?
Answer: Abner distracted the guard, and Samuel hit him with a brick.
Why did Abner decide he could no longer travel with the family?
Answer: They could no longer pass as his grandchildren, and traveling in such a large group was too dangerous.
How did Samuel’s family survive the confrontation with the British cavalry?
Answer: Samuel shot an officer, and then Continental (rebel) soldiers arrived to defeat the British.
Why were so many refugees fleeing toward Philadelphia?
Answer: They were tired of being told what to do by a "crazy king" across the ocean.
Where did Samuel finally find his mother, and what was she doing?
Answer: He found her dumping a bucket of slops in a gutter.
What was Samuel’s father’s physical condition when he was freed?
Answer: He was emaciated and very weak.
What tool did Abner give Samuel for the journey to Philadelphia?
Answer: He gave him a compass.
How did Samuel feel about killing the British officer?
Answer: He felt uneasy and bothered by it, even though he knew he had to do it.
What were the pigeons on Micah’s farm used for?
Answer: They were courier pigeons used to carry messages to allies about the war.
What did Samuel’s mother tell him about his father’s situation?
Answer: He was a prisoner in a sugar mill and was so weak he could barely stand.
How did Samuel’s parents react to the news that they now had a daughter named Annie?
Answer: They accepted her immediately and said she was "as good as blood".
What warning did Abner give Samuel about the road ahead?
Answer: He warned them they would encounter a British defensive line.
What did Samuel’s parents do for a living in their new home?
Answer: They started a school to teach and care for children orphaned by the war.
What did Samuel realize about Abner and Micah after seeing the pigeons?
Answer: He realized they were likely part of a civilian spy or intelligence network.
What was the plan to get a message to Samuel’s father?
Answer: His mother would tell him to be at the front door of the mill at midnight.
Why did Samuel’s father feel guilty after his rescue?
Answer: He felt bad that he had food and freedom while other prisoners were still starving.
Why did Samuel’s mother refer to him as "New Samuel"?
Answer: She felt he had changed and become more mature and aware of his surroundings.
What did Samuel do when he turned 16 years old?
Answer: He returned to the war to help the sick and wounded and fix equipment.