Chapter 7
According to the text, how many hours had Samuel been running while following the trail of the raiders?
Samuel had been running for 40 hours.
While the Indians and British soldiers were at their encampment, what sudden event caught them completely by surprise?
They were caught by a surprise attack launched against the raiders at the encampment.
Who is the man that rescued Samuel and was responsible for doctoring his wounds?
Samuel was rescued and treated by John Cooper (also known as Coop).
To survive the physical demands of his pursuit, what specific food did Samuel find and eat?
Samuel found and ate ears of corn.
Based on the context of the battle, what is the definition of a "tomahawk"?
A tomahawk is an axe.
After being hit by the tomahawk, approximately how long did Samuel remain unconscious?
Samuel was unconscious for six days.
Authors often use comparisons to help readers feel a character's emotions. When the text describes Samuel's hunger as being "like a wolf" or his rage as being "like a hot knife," what type of figurative language is being used?
These comparisons are examples of a simile, using the word "like" to compare his physical and emotional states to a wolf and a knife.
What was Samuel’s physical state at the very end of this chapter?
Samuel fell unconscious ("And then, nothing").
Medical care in the 1700s was very different from today. What specific method and materials did the rescuer use to treat Samuel’s head injury?
The rescuer sewed (stitched) the wound shut and applied a "spit and 'baccy" poultice—a moist substance made of tobacco juice—and tied it on with a rag.
While observing the encampment in the clearing, what specific sign did Samuel see that indicated the soldiers and Indians intended to stay there for a significant amount of time?
He observed an animal cooking over a large fire, a process that takes a long time to complete.
When the encampment was attacked, Samuel had to make a split-second decision. What was his primary motivation for deciding to help the attackers?
Samuel’s motivation was the hope that by helping the attackers, he could successfully rescue his parents.
During the chaos of the skirmish between the militia and the raiders, what happened to the captives and Samuel’s parents?
The Indians and soldiers quickly piled the captives into wagons and fled, successfully getting away with them.
When Samuel reached the creek, what two specific physical acts—one to hydrate and one to hide—ultimately saved his life?
Samuel knelt to put his mouth to the water to drink and then quickly ran to the side of the trail to hide.
Provide the specific three-step sequence of Samuel’s fight: what happened to his face, what he did to the Indian in front of him, and how the second Indian ended the fight.
First, a musket ball grazed Samuel’s cheek; second, Samuel shot an Indian in the chest; third, another Indian hit Samuel in the forehead with a tomahawk before he could react.
A man named Carl was initially suspicious of Samuel. How did he use the evidence at the scene to prove that Samuel was a victim and not one of the raiders?
Carl found the Indian Samuel had shot in the chest and realized that the Indian had been in the process of attacking Samuel with a tomahawk when the boy fired his "little rifle."