FREE ESSAY ON TROUBLE RIVER

TROUBLE RIVER

Trouble River
Author: Betsy Byars
It was a cool summer evening, and Dewey's grandmother sat in her rocking chair on the
porch. She was thinking to herself its getting dark I better call that boy in. So she got
up form her chair and called Deweeee Deweeee. There was no answer so she decided to go
get him herself. She walked down to the woods edge and called for him once again. Dewey
answered, then Dewey and his dog came running back up the hill. Then together then they
walked back to the house. When in the house Dewey's grandmother asked him what he was
doing down there in the woods. He reluctantly told her he was building a raft cause he
knew she would disagree with him doing that.
That night Dewey was planning on sneaking out to work on his raft. So later that night he
walked over to the door pulled up the bar, and went out to the river. From the river he
had a clear view of the house. While down at the river he kept making sure he was keeping
an eye on the door, since it wasn't barred shut. Then after a little time passed Dewey
noticed there was a man slowly creeping up to the house. Dewey could see it was an
Indian. So Dewey and his dog ran up the hill, and tried to creep up to the house. When
the Indian was about to open the door, Dewey knew he couldn't let the Indian get inside.
So Dewey and his dog went running up to the house. Dewey's dog bit the Indian and hung on
to his skin the Indian shook him wildly till he fell off. The Indian whacked the dog on
the back of his leg with his hatchet then the Indian ran away.
Dewey ran inside and got his grandmother telling her that he had seen an Indian. She said
there is never just one Indian there is always a group. She said they were gonna die if
they didn't get out of there. So Dewey said I have an idea instead of staying here and
getting scalped lets go down to the river and ride my raft down river. We can get out at
the Dargans house then we can wait there and meet up with his ma and pa before they come
back from the city. She was very hesitant but she finally agreed they got all their
important possessions and set out for the river.
When she got to the bank she was surprised how small the boat was. So they got aboard and
Dewey started paddeling away from the bank. They both knew it would be a long time till
they got to the Dargans place so they sat down and started on their way. The next day in
the late afternoon they decided to stop and get off the raft to take a rest. So Dewey
pushed the raft to the side till they struck bottom. Then they got out and put a blanket
down where they sat and ate a meal of cornmeal and water. After a long nap, they got up
and were ready to board the boat when they heard a wolf coming form the brush. It wasn't
just one it was a pack. So Dewey picked up the gun fired one shot then ran to the boat.
Once they were both on the boat they started back on their trip. 
Then the next morning they saw the Dargans chimney standing high on the hill. After
pulling themselves to shore Dewey ran up to the house but when he got there, there was
nothing but a pile of ashes. The house had been burned to the ground all that was left
was the stone fireplace. So Dewey ran back to the raft and told his grandmother that the
Indians had already gotten to them and burned down the house. So they decided to ride the
rest of the river out to Hunter City.
The next morning Dewey awoke and heard a strange noise his grandmother heard it to. They
both knew there was a bunch of rapids upahead. Then once they hit the turn they saw big
rapids. They floated in the rapids and were thrown around. Dewey grabbed his dog and held
on to him for safety. Dewey started to scream he tasted blood in his mouth because he got
a bloody lip. Finally when the rapids were done the water calmed down and they yelled up
to the bank for help. Two men came running to the bank to help them. Then they through
them a rope and pulled them to shore Once they got to shore they asked if they had seen
the Martins. They said, yes there right up ahead, why? They said cause were there grandma
and son. So Dewey and his grandmother went ahead and met up with the parents who were
coming back from Hunter City and rode the rest of the way home in the wagon. On the way
home they explained they crazy ride down Trouble River.