WATER RAT TEACHER GUIDE	Water Rat Teacher Guide.pdf Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader

About the Guide

This Winslow Press Teacher Guide has been designed to be of use to the classroom teacher by offering enrichment activities and discussion materials to complement Water Rat! These activities can help students to better understand and enjoy the story as well as assist teachers in implementing strategies and experiences that support their district's learning standards for language arts.

The Guide presents a story synopsis and outlines pre-reading activities. It also presents some concepts related to the story and includes: a brief discussion of related curriculum areas; a list of vocabulary words; class discussion questions; and independent study ideas related to Water Rat! The activities are designed to cover a range of language arts skills development that meets the needs of multiple learning styles. The final part of the Guide lists additional resources (books, museums, reference materials, related Internet Web sites) for both teachers and students.

The interdisciplinary activities were developed to support the New York State Learning Standards for English Language Arts. The Standards can be downloaded from the New York State Education Department's Web site at http://www.nysed.gov/rscs/stds/contents.html. If you have questions about specific standards applied to these activities, please call Winslow Press at 800-617-3947.

We hope this Teacher Guide will be a useful and positive part of your teaching experience!

Sincerely, Diane F. Kessenich Chief Executive Officer and Publisher

Introduction Water Rat represents a moving close-up of a significant time in the American colonial experience. Events in Fast Landing, Delaware, in the year 1748 are seen through the eyes of Matt, an orphan boy, who meets life's challenges with courage in this historical novel. A sense of the period is gained as the reader moves through the issues and conflicts with the well-drawn characters portrayed in the story. There is mystery, adventure and heroism galore, as Matt helps capture menacing pirates and then defeats his archenemy, the wicked tavern keeper, Eli. Matt earns his right to a bright future and the esteem of the people he meets and comes to care about in the course of his adventures. The historical fact of marauding pirates provides the backdrop for the story of Water Rat. The colonists in the lower counties of Delaware (at this time still a part of Pennsylvania) were angered when pacifist Quakers in Philadelphia refused to send armed militia against the pirates who prowled Delaware Bay, attacked merchant ships and preyed on the villages. This is the story of how the brave colonists freed themselves from the pirate menace. The theme chronicles one boy's triumph over his handicap, tyranny and injustice to emerge a hero.

Background Matt's World: The Delaware of Water Rat In Brief: Delaware's Geography Delaware is situated between the Atlantic Ocean and the Eastern Shore of the Chesapeake on a finger of land known as the Delmarva Peninsula ("Delmarva" combines the word "Delaware" with "Maryland" and "Virginia," parts of which states cover two-thirds of the peninsula). Most of Delaware's territory lies along the Atlantic coastal plain and is dotted with freshwater lakes and ponds. The state has about 28 miles of Atlantic coastline running from its southern border (with Maryland) up to the mouth of the Delaware Bay, at Cape Henlopen. The Delaware Bay coastline is home to a variety of wetlands, many of which are now federally protected. Rich in wildlife, especially during the colonial era, they provided both settlers and natives with food and with trading goods. The shoreline and salt marshes fostered a sizable fishing industry, while the interior of the state had excellent farm land and orchards, and lumbering was widespread and profitable. Towns like New Castle, situated on the Delaware River in the north of the state, were ideal ports for trade. Native Americans in Delaware Prior to the arrival of the first Europeans, the area that would eventually become "Delaware" was inhabited by many Native American tribes, the largest of whom were the Lenni-Lenape (meaning the "ordinary people"). The Lenni-Lenape, who would later be called "the Delaware," were a part of the Algonquian family, an eastern group of related tribes who shared similar customs and languages. Several other Native American groups lived in the area, including the Minqua (Iroquois peoples also known as "Mingo"). The Lenape had a reputation among their neighbors as a peaceful tribe, and other tribes often brought their disputes to the Lenape to be settled. Some believed the Lenape to be the source of all Algonquian tribes. As a sign of respect, these tribes called the Lenape "Grandfathers,"and the Lenape referred to them as "Our Grandchildren." Lenape children were taught to live as peacefully as possible and to treat both friends and strangers with kindness. However, the Lenape custom was to avenge any wrong to one's family, and under such circumstances, violence (and even murder) was condoned by their justice system. Women had important roles in tribal government, and the Lenape traced their ancestry through the maternal line. Matt's friend, Quinn, around whom some crucial events in Water Rat revolve, is a Shawnee, not a Lenape. It is noted that Quinn is alone: his tribe has moved westward. We usually think of the Shawnee as a midwestern and western tribe, but they originally resided in the Ohio Valley as well as in portions of West Virginia and Pennsylvania (including the regions later known as Delaware). An Algonquian tribe, the Shawnee were driven from these areas in the mid-to-late seventeenth century, apparently by the Iroquois, who were then in the process of defeating and assimilating other tribes in the region. Little is known about the specific reasons for the Shawnees' expulsion from their homelands, but presumably their ongoing wars with the Iroquois forced them to leave. They moved their settlements towards the south and midwest but did not surrender their claims to the eastern territory, returning often to hunt. A group of Shawnee who had migrated to Illinois after the Iroquois wars soon left the area and headed into Eastern Maryland, where they were found by a Lenape (Delaware) hunting party. The Lenape, using their influence as "grandfathers," persuaded the Shawnee to move up to Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and settle there, intervening with the Iroquois to ensure their safety. Thus, many of Quinn's people (and most likely Quinn himself) were able to remain close to their homelands for a few decades. By the time of Water Rat, however, the Shawnee had been pushed out again-this time by the white settlers. In 1737 the colony of Pennsylvania cheated the Lenape out of their remaining land in the Lehigh Valley, and with the Lenape debilitated and forced (for the most part) to move on, the Shawnee had to leave as well. Quinn was living apart from his people and his culture but had chosen to stay in what he considered his native land despite the isolation he must have felt. Although he dies early in the story, he is a forceful character, one who has a profound (and continuing) effect on his friend Matt. Today there are no more than 1,500 Native Americans living in Delaware, according to Dennis Fradin (The Delaware Colony), and few of those are related to the tribes who lived there three and four hundred years ago. The Europeans Arrive Henry Hudson, in the service of the Dutch East India Company, sailed into what is now called Delaware Bay in 1609. He was the first European known to have visited the area. The following year, a British captain, Sir Samuel Argall, entered into the same bay while en route to Virginia. He named the bay after Baron De la Warr, then governor of Virginia; the name was later spelled Delaware. The Dutch and English contested the region from the time of its discovery. In 1631, under the sponsorship of the Dutch West India Company, Dutch settled Zwaanendael ("Valley of the Swans") near the present-day town of Lewes. They established a good relationship with the local Lenape, who hoped that the Dutch would become their allies against a rival tribe. Zwaanendael's future was looking bright, but just one unfortunate incident between the two cultures led to a tragedy. The Lenape were largely unfamiliar with metal, and any metal object was of great interest to them. A young Lenape took a tin shield, bearing a coat of arms, from the stake on which it was mounted outside the Dutch fort. So outraged were the colonists by this theft that they put great pressure upon the chief of the young man's village to punish him. The chief, anxious to appease the settlers (whom he wanted as allies), had the young man put to death. In the Lenape tradition of vengeance, his shocked and angry friends retaliated by attacking the colonists and destroying the settlement of Zwaanendael. In 1637Ð38 Peter Minuit led two ships in a joint venture of the Netherlands and Sweden to establish the first permanent European settlement in Delaware, Fort Christina, named in honor of the Queen of Sweden. This settlement was built on the site of modern Wilmington. The Dutch soon withdrew from this project to focus on their settlement of New Amsterdam on the Hudson River. However, Dutch interest in this region of Delaware remained strong, and in 1651, Peter Stuyvesant, governor of New Netherlands, established Fort Casimir on the Delaware River at present-day New Castle. The Swedes captured Fort Casimir three years later, but Peter Stuyvesant regained it in 1655 and also managed to seize Fort Christina. This marked the destruction of Sweden's power base in the New World, though the Swedish colonists kept their property and continued to practice their Lutheran faith. The English gained control of the Dutch holdings in 1664, but the Dutch again recaptured these outposts for a short time in 1673. During this period they set up three district courts that initiated Delaware's division into three counties. The next year, the English took back control and governed until the American Revolution. The duke of York (later James II) annexed the region to New York, land granted him earlier by Charles II. In 1682 the duke of York transferred his claim to William Penn, who had no access to the ocean from his new colony of Pennsylvania. The three counties of Delaware thus became the three lower counties of Pennsylvania: New Castle, Sussex, and Kent. The inhabitants of Delaware were not happy at this turn of events, because they considered the Pennsylvania Quakers "radicals" and they did not want to have their affairs settled in far-away Philadelphia. Incidents in Water Rat reflect the real and constant conflict between the Delaware colonists and the Philadelphia Quakers regarding the use of force to protect settlements and to keep the waterways safe for commerce. When the three counties were promised the right to separate assembly, they finally accepted the Penn Charter in 1701. Delaware remained largely autonomous until the Revolution. Although there were many loyalists in Delaware just prior to the American Revolution, the colony supported independence, with two of its three delegates to the Continental Congress voting for independence. Delaware signed the Declaration of Independence and in 1776 became a state (the second smallest of the present fifty). In 1787 it became the first state to ratify the new Constitution of the United States. Matt's World: Life in the Delaware Colony The world of the Delaware colony as Matt, the protagonist of Water Rat, knew it was both limited and rough. The climate of the Chesapeake region was hot and humid, always a breeding ground for epidemics (such as cholera and malaria) that swept through the colonies on a regular basis, killing entire families. The mortality rate was high, running from 25 to 50 percent depending on time and place, and the average life expectancy would have been about 45 years. In her book on colonial America, Dale Taylor points out that statistics for this period are difficult to interpret and vary widely. A large number of women died in childbirth or of childbirth-related illnesses, and a similar number of infants died at (or shortly after) birth. There were many orphans in the Chesapeake area, especially in the early days of colonization, who were customarily sent away to live with relatives. However, as an orphan without living relatives, Matt had virtually no rights and no protection under either the laws or the customs of the colony. Since he received none of the help and concern one might have expected his parents' friends and neighbors to offer, indentured servitude would have been probably the best and most likely means of survival for a boy in Matt's position. As an indentured servant, he would have worked long and hard for no pay but with the knowledge that he would at least have room and board and that when his contract was up, he would, unlike the slave Mingo, be completely free. However, as both an indentured servant and a child, he would have been regarded by the law as property, not as a person. Matt himself was not indentured; he simply received room and board in exchange for hard labor. Indentured servitude was a common part of colonial life-it was, in fact, the means by which many immigrants were able to afford the trip from Europe to America. People would pay for their passage on a ship by signing an "indenture" with the captain, who would then sell it to a colonist on arrival in America. By signing an indenture, you were essentially signing away your labor and your time for a specified number of years. You were, like a slave, not legally "free," although unlike a slave, you knew that this situation would last only for a predetermined time. Nonetheless, there were some parallels between the life of an indentured servant and that of a slave. Neither had any social or legal rights, and both could be physically exploited and abused with impunity by their masters. When slaves were first brought to the colonies in the seventeenth century, they were sold as indentures; this process gradually evolved to the point that slavery became legally established, though in the meantime some communities of free blacks formed in the colonies. Indentured servants who ran away or attempted to evade the terms of their contracts could, in some colonies, have their periods of service doubled. In other colonies, they could legally be punished with death. Masters often regarded slaves as being more of an investment than indentured servants because a servant only belonged to you for a few years, but a slave and that slave's children were yours for a lifetime. Also, indentures arriving in this country had an especially high mortality rate-exposure to unfamiliar local diseases combined with relentless physical labor (as well as poor food, housing, and clothing) was lethal to many of them. Often, their masters would have preferred to acquire colony-born slaves. Eli was cruel to both Mingo and Matt, although he probably regarded Mingo as the more valuable piece of property. The farmers and landowners of Delaware prospered during the 1700s, making the most of the colony's bountiful natural resources. Many landowners relied on slave labor for the success of their farms. The Dutch had begun shipping slaves to Delaware as early as the 1760s, and the practice became entrenched over the course of the next century despite the strong opposition of some colonists. During this period, the concept of childhood was very different than it is now. The way that Matt was treated, prior to meeting the Campbells, would have raised far fewer eyebrows than it would today. "Childhood" as we now know it (as a time in which a child is, in theory at least, protected by adults and free of adult responsibilities) was a relatively short period, usually ending at around age five or six. This was the point at which most children, except for those of the very wealthy, were expected to assume substantial responsibilities and roles within the family. At this age, boys were "breeched," taken out of the tunics or dresses they had worn since birth and given breeches to wear. Their hair, usually grown long until this point, would be cut off (or shaved), and they might be fitted for wigs, though this could depend on social status. Matt, even if he had not been orphaned, would almost certainly not have worn a wig on a regular basis. By the age of six, children were already helping out with chores and learning such skills as knitting. Adults felt less sentimental about the nature of childhood and, in some cases, perhaps, less compassion towards the very young. It wasn't economically feasible to do so-children's help was needed in most areas of domestic life. Most household goods and much clothing had to be made from scratch, and all foods had to be grown (or raised) and prepared. (Tracy Barrett's Growing Up in Colonial America describes the role a child would play in the process of making a simple linen shirt, from planting and growing the flax to finally stitching the garment.) Household work done by children might include caring for younger siblings, helping to make soap and candles, cooking, weaving, sewing, tending to livestock, and working in the fields or gardens. Many of the games and sports children played in eighteenth-century North America are still played by children today. Skating, wrestling, and boxing were popular, as were hopscotch, marbles, Blind Man's Bluff, and hide and seek. Board games like backgammon and dominoes were also played, often with the deliberate goal of teaching thinking skills. Schooling was a haphazard experience for many children, and there was not much in the way of organized education (below the university level) in the colonies during Matt's childhood. The Quakers ran some public grammar schools, offering instruction in such subjects as writing, account-keeping, mathematics, grammar, and navigation and surveying. For the most part, however, the course your early education took was a matter of luck and social class. If you were a boy, you might learn to read and to do some math as part of your apprenticeship to a trade. You would learn these (and other "basic" skills) to the extent that they were necessary to your job. Job requirements could range from the most primitive to extremely sophisticated, depending on the work. If you were a girl, you would be taught reading and embroidery at home, assuming there was someone to teach you. You would also acquire a variety of household skills, from dyeing or cleaning fabrics to making cleaning solutions and even medicines. Those children, male and female, whose parents could afford it might be tutored at home, and their education would include some instruction in Greek and Latin. The Bible was the one book found in most households or communities, and it was thus a basic textbook. Higher education was not considered a necessity nor was it affordable to most of the population. During the first half of the eighteenth century, an average of fifty people (men) per year graduated from universities in the colonies. Many males completed apprenticeships and took up careers in textiles, woodworking/carpentry, pottery, metalworking, navigation/shipping, leatherworking, and other necessary businesses. They might also become fishermen or merchant sailors or work farms for themselves or for others. The colonists who made up Matt's world were mostly Scotch-Irish farmers, fishermen, and merchants. It might be interesting to speculate on Matt's future. Would he stay connected to the marshes somehow, or, if he continued to live with the Campbells, take up a more genteel occupation? As students learn more about the colonial period, speculation about the past and future lives of characters in Water Rat will provide fuel for many rich discussions on a variety of social, historical, and other topics. Sources Consulted for This Section Include: *Barrett, Tracy. Growing Up in Colonial America. Brookfield, CT: Millbrook Press, 1995. *Fradin, Dennis. The Delaware Colony. Chicago: Children's Press, 1992. *Hakim, Joy. From Colonies to Country. "A History of US" series, Book 3. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993. *Kent, Deborah. America the Beautiful: Delaware. America the Beautiful series. New York: Children's Press, 1991. Sultzman, Lee. "Shawnee History," one of a projected set of "compact tribal histories" which can be found at http://dickshovel.netgate.net/shaw.html Taylor, Dale. The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Colonial America. Cincinnati: Writer's Digest Books, 1997. *Starred sources are also listed in the Extended Learning Opportunities section at the end of this Guide.

Critical Thinking Questions

Knowledge: List all the events you can think of that led to Matt's seeking refuge with the Campbell family.

Comprehension: In this story, Matt both fears and hates Eli yet continues to stay with him. Why is this so?

Application: How does Matt demonstrate to Tom his superior knowledge of the creek and the marsh area?

Analysis: How does the author's description of the pirate captain make him appear so menacing that you can feel Matt's terror?

Synthesis: Matt struggles with his feelings throughout the story. His relationships affect him deeply. Describe one such relationship.

Evaluation: Suppose you were Matt. What would you consider your greatest triumph in this story?

Introduction

Pre-reading Activity and Introduction to Chapter Reviews As a pre-reading activity to motivate and involve students, discuss the colonial period with the class to determine their understanding of the times during which the story takes place. Encourage them to discuss other books they have read about this period. Water Rat Chapter Reviews: Introduction Students vary widely in background and experience. Since Water Rat takes place in another time and culture, some of its terms and vocabulary may be unfamiliar to the young reader. However, many of these words will be readily understood in the context of the story as it unfolds. The section that follows contains a synopsis of each chapter, a list of vocabulary, and questions to encourage discussion and critical thinking. Encourage your students to use words that are unfamiliar in sentences (after they look up their meanings in a dictionary). To deepen their understanding, let them ask their own questions and explore issues.

Q&A Chapter 1

Water Rat begins in colonial Delaware in the year 1748. Matt, a fourteen-year-old orphan with a limp, is gathering wood and desperately trying to stay out of the way of his master, the drunken tavern keeper Eli. When a fearful Matt stumbles and drops the logs, Eli kicks him in the side with his heavy boot. After a while, Matt rises and stacks the scattered logs by the fireplace. Then he straightens the tavern, which has been left in disarray by the rough group of trappers who have been in the night before. When Mingo, a black man who is Eli's slave, comes in, he offers sympathy to Matt about the rough treatment. Matt hints that he might not stay around much longer. Mingo cautions him about being foolish, and the two continue with their chores. When a stranger comes into the tavern to discuss business, Eli gives Matt and Mingo the rest of the day off.

Vocabulary

limped	dawdling	glared
tremors	belched	helter skelter
glanced	stomped	paneling
fetching	pewter	platter
waterman	trapper	departed
startled	flicker

Discussion Questions Can you describe the scene in the tavern as the story begins? In the tavern, we see the aftermath of the previous night's carousing-a group of trappers had come in, and the place is littered with dirty dishes and stale food. The floors and walls are dirty, and the place smells of smoke. Can you recall some of Eli's actions that immediately portray him as the villain in the story? Within the first few paragraphs, Eli is clearly established as a villain. In his first appearance, Eli speaks unkindly to Matt as Matt is working, using very cruel language. When the boy, whom we are told has a limp, stumbles over a chair leg and falls, Eli kicks him as he lies on the floor. What are some of the things we are told about Matt that immediately gain our sympathy? We find out that Matt is a fourteen-year-old "without home nor kin to call his own" and that he is lame. Also, we see him being abused by Eli, on whom we can guess he has been dependent "in the four years since Pa died." "I'm nothing but a slave here," he thinks. How does Matt's behavior demonstrate how he feels about Eli? In Eli's presence, Matt feels "little tremors" throughout his body. He tries "to avoid Eli's stare." As the older man shouts, we are told that Matt's fear is "paralyzing him." While finishing his work, after being shouted at and kicked, Matt avoids Eli "as much as possible" and hurries as he does his work. Can you remember (locate) a sentence in this chapter that tells us the time period and the location in which the story takes place? Who gives us this information? The time period and location of this story are revealed to us by customers at Eli's tavern. "Nice weather, warm for April," says one. Another refers to "this winter of 1748," as well as to New Castle and the Delaware River. Who is Mingo and what is his relationship to Matt? Mingo and Matt both work at Eli's tavern. Mingo, a slave, does the "outside work" at the tavern, while Matt does the "inside work." They are friends who understand each other's situations. Mingo thinks Eli is a bully. Can you find evidence in a statement of Eli's to support his claim? We can tell that Mingo thinks Eli is a bully when Mingo says he wishes he and Matt could trade jobs because "Maybe Eli wouldn't pick on a growed man so much." Why do you think Eli gave Matt and Mingo the rest of the day off when the stranger appeared? It seems that Eli gave Matt and Mingo the rest of the day off in order to get them out of the way when the stranger came "on business." Predicting Outcomes Why do you think Eli wanted to conduct his business with the stranger in secrecy? Do you think that later, the author will let us know what they talked about?

Q&A Chapter 2

Mingo helps Matt take his skiff out but declines an invitation to go fishing. Both are puzzled by Eli's decision to give them the afternoon off. Matt's idyllic time on the river is shattered when two boys on the dock call him "Water Rat." With hurt feelings, Matt rows on, yearning to stay with his only other friend, Quinn, an Indian who lives in an old shack hidden in the marsh. He glides past Dr. Campbell's house, "Journey's End," on Campbell's Creek. Matt continues to enjoy the April sunshine and catches a large shad. When the sun goes down, the fog rolls in and a large ship appears suddenly, moving slowly in the fog, and then suddenly disappears.

Vocabulary

dingy	coasting	scanning
skiff	tilted	oarlocks
gear	hummocks	sloops
portside	navigated	guffawed
receded	silhouetted	bartering
jibs	bows	prit
mainsail	wake	shad

Discussion Questions Can you describe the scene as Matt steps outside the tavern?Outside the tavern, in the "April sunshine," Matt sees the river and surrounding marshes. "He watched gulls, coasting on air currents, scanning the marshes for food. Here and there, faint touches of green signaled spring was on its way." As Matt takes the boat into the river, he smells "the sharp odor of the marshes . . . little waves slapped at the bow of his boat. Ahead of him, a muskrat slipped down the bank and swam away." What is Matt planning to do? Why doesn't Mingo want to join him? Matt is planning to go fishing; Mingo wants to visit Bessie instead of joining him. Matt was hurt by the taunts of the boys on the dock. What do you think were some of the reasons why they rejected him? Matt is taunted because he's "different" from other kids his age. The other boys have "homes and decent clothes to wear" and don't "have to work from dawn until way past nightfall." Why do you think Matt wants to live with Quinn? Matt probably wants to live with Quinn because he needs to get away from Eli, and Quinn is his only friend apart from Mingo. How do you know that Matt has vivid memories of his father? Matt remembers going out on the boat with his father and remembers advice his father has given him. When the fog rolls in, what steps does Matt take that his father recommended? He remembers to stay close to the banks of the river and to stay calm. ("Keep your head and keep close to the bank.") How do you know that Matt is apprehensive when the large ship suddenly appears in the swirling fog? He feels "prickles" on the back of his neck and thinks "it was as though a ghost ship, sailed by ghosts of men, had been close enough for him to reach out and touch." The mysterious appearance of the boat, with no sound or anything else to announce/warn of its appearance is eerie. Predicting Outcomes Who do you think is sailing the mysterious ship? Where did it come from? Where is it going?

Q&A Chapter 3

After his experiences with the mysterious ship and the fog, a shaken Matt returns to the tavern, fearing the worst from Eli. Matt is surprised when Eli suggests that they eat the shad for supper. After Mingo, Matt, and Eli finish eating, Eli goes down into the root cellar, where Matt and Mingo are not allowed. Matt tells Mingo about the large ship appearing suddenly out of the fog. Mingo relates a local tale about a ghost ship and cautions Matt against telling anyone about the mysterious ship he has seen.

trudged	slope	peg
shad	sniggered	filleted
knob	skillet	rivulets
stubbled	rickety	lye
duel	cruising	herb
amulet	pallet

Discussion Questions Why was Matt so afraid of returning late from his fishing trip? Matt was afraid of being late to the tavern because he knew Eli would be "furious" with him if he were late and that he'd probably be punished. He may have been afraid that Eli would beat him. What did Matt think about Eli's behavior? Matt was puzzled by Eli's behavior, which was calm. He was "astonished," and "looked questioningly" at Eli when the tavern keeper didn't shout at or hit him for being so late coming back. Why do you suppose Matt and Mingo were not allowed down in the root cellar? Answers may vary. Eli may have something down there that he doesn't want them to see. Both Matt and Mingo know that the storeroom in the cellar "was where the whiskey was kept." Why do you think Matt waited until Eli was gone to tell Mingo about the ship he saw in Herring Creek? Matt distrusted Eli and was afraid of him. He didn't know how Eli would react and didn't want Eli to overhear him. Do you think Matt was firm in his statement that there was such a thing as a ghost ship? Give evidence from the book to support your answer. Matt didn't seem to be too firm about this. When he said to Mingo "ghosts ain't real," his voice "quavered." Mingo truly believes in supernatural forces. Do you agree or disagree? Support your answer with evidence from the story. Answers may vary. When Matt tells Mingo about his experience in Herring Creek, Mingo's initial reaction is, "You seen the ghost ship!" He relates the tale about the origins of the ghost ship as if it were a factual report. The story refers to the "herb-filled red-flannel amulet he wore around his neck for good luck." What do you think Mingo means when he says "Folks like us do well to keep quiet"? Answers may vary. Mingo is a slave and Matt is a servant (and a child), so both are powerless in the society in which they live. They aren't free to express their opinions and know that to do so could result in trouble for them. Predicting Outcomes Do you think Matt will heed Mingo's warning to keep quiet about the ghost ship? Will the ghost ship play an important part in this story? Why or why not?

Q&A Chapter 4

When Matt enters the general store with a list of items to get for Eli, Mr. Hazard, the proprietor, is waiting on Mrs. Campbell, the surgeon's wife. After she leaves the store, Matt hears a scream. He rushes outside in time to save Mrs. Campbell from a dreadful accident when her frightened horse rears. A grateful Mrs. Campbell promises Matt that she and her husband will help him if he ever needs it. He has only to come to their home, "Journey's End."

gusting	swirls	picket
shingles	resembled	sturgeon
trout	perch	ginger
nutmeg	cloves	mace
rafters	harness	molasses
calico	homespun	linen
lard	sprouted	spectacles
annex	hind	hooves
plunged	traces	bridle
lunged	bolted	weavers
apologized	spooked	jeered

Discussion Questions Tell how the author lets us know what time of year it is and lets us feel that we are in Fast Landing. Answers may vary. The author appeals to all the senses. The chapter begins "One morning in May . . ." and we are given descriptions of Matt's physical surroundings on this "bright and sunny" day: • The village ("small frame houses . . . muskrat skins . . . drying in the sun") • The docks ("Sails snapped and billowed in the breeze. . . gulls shrieked. . . . Good-natured shouts rang out from the crews. . . ." • The sea ( "The wind had picked up, bringing the salty smell of the sea inland") • The general store ("spicy scents of ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and mace . . . the salty odor of hams and sides of bacon. . . .") What explanation does Mr. Hazard give to Mrs. Campbell for the shortage of goods in his store? Mr. Hazard explains that war between England and France has affected his ability to get goods into his store. æHow does the war with England and France affect the colonies? Who is interfering with the shipping? There are no warships left guarding the North American coast, so pirates can interfere with goods shipments—supplies don't always get through. What do you think about how Matt acts in saving Mrs. Campbell? Who witnesses the event, and what happens? Matt acts immediately and isn't afraid to take on trouble. He shows courage. The Campbells' slave, Sam, witnesses the event. When he saw the rearing horse, "Matt grabbed for the bridle and missed. Once again, the horse reared . . . . When the horse came down, Matt lunged for its head and grabbed the bridle firmly with both hands . . . [he] closed his eyes and hung on with all his strength . . . ." Finally, Sam grabs the bridle on the other side of the horse, and he and Matt are able to calm the animal. Why does Matt answer reluctantly when Mrs. Campbell asks him who he is? When Mrs. Campbell asks him who he is, Matt is "ashamed to admit that he [lives] in a tavern." When Mrs. Campbell hears the boys taunting Matt with cries of "Water Rat," how do you think she reacts? Answers may vary. When Mrs. Campbell hears Matt being taunted, she may wonder why they are teasing him and who he is. She may feel sympathy for him. Predicting Outcomes Do you think Matt will ever need to take Mrs. Campbell up on her offer of help? Can you imagine why he might need to?

Q&A Chapter 5

Eli, in a drunken rage, orders Matt to stop his tavern chores and take out his skiff in order to satisfy Eli's craving for fresh fish. Once out on the water, Matt decides to go down the twisting waterways of Indian Gut to visit his friend Quinn in the marsh. Matt asks Quinn to allow Matt to live with him in order to get away from Eli. Quinn is reluctant, saying that he might leave and follow the rest of his people, the Shawnee. When Matt tells Quinn about the strange ship he saw in the fog, Quinn warns Matt of the dangers of the marsh. Quinn calls Matt's attention to an eagle soaring overhead. They both watch the eagle in silence.

propped	askew	hankering
impulse	reaches	thatched
roof	ramshackle	glade
scrub	oak	musty
ash	currents

Discussion Questions Why does Matt decide to visit Quinn? Matt decided "on an impulse" to visit Quinn. He believed that Quinn "might know something about the boat that had sneaked into Herring Creek." Why does Matt think that Quinn might know something about the ship? We are told that "Quinn knew everything that happened in the marshes." Why does Matt have to hunt high and low for his friend? Quinn had hidden in order to surprise his friend. He tells Matt that "I can travel on wings of air so that even the birds and squirrels don't give me away." What reasons does Matt give Quinn for visiting him that day? He tells Quinn that Eli has been beating him again, and says "I wish you'd let me stay here. . . . I'd do what you say!" What reasons does Quinn give for saying he might leave his home in the marsh? Quinn explains to Matt that "when the Shawnee left this area, taking with them the bones of our ancestors, it was to find a new home. . . . Most of the land here has been claimed by the white man." "In my heart, this is my home," Quinn says. "But things change." He has a "faraway" look in his eyes and seems apprehensive. What does the eagle mean to Quinn? The eagle is a friend of the Shawnee, who believe that "when the Great Spirit calls, it is the eagle that carries the soul up to the heavens." Do you think Quinn knows more about the mysterious ship than he is telling Matt? It appears that Quinn knows more than he is telling, because he is evasive. How does Quinn react to Matt's questions about the ship? Why is Quinn so evasive? He won't look Matt in the eye ("his eyes were fixed on a spot somewhere behind Matt") and avoids the issue altogether. He will only talk about it in terms of Matt's "safety." Why does Quinn say that Matt was foolish? How does Quinn feel about Matt? He says that Matt was foolish for going out into the fog alone. It seems that Quinn feels affection and protectiveness towards Matt and calls him "my friend." Predicting Outcomes Will Matt's friendship with Quinn continue to be an important part of the story? If so, why?

Q&A Chapter 6

To avoid an oncoming storm, Mr. Barrett, a tannery owner, stops at the tavern. He removes his heavy saddle bags before Matt stables his horse. Eli is pleased to have so fine a gentleman in his tavern and acts in a very hospitable manner. Mr. Barrett drinks heavily and finally passes out, slumped over the table. When Matt awakens later that night, he sees a light that shines from the tavern window. He peers in through the window and sees Eli removing gold from Mr. Barrett's pouch. When lightning flashes at the window, Eli looks up and sees that Matt is a witness to the robbery. An enraged Eli runs after Matt, cursing and threatening him as he runs. Matt flees in the storm, escaping in his skiff, with Eli's threats echoing in his ears.

humid	thunderheads	loomed
waistcoat	presumed	cravat
brandy	stall	tannery

Discussion Questions Why is Eli so pleased to see a well-to-do gentleman in his tavern? A well-to-do person is likely to spend money freely as well as to attract/send other well-off people to the tavern. Eli may have some other scheme in mind, one which we are not told about. How does Eli show that he is pleased? Eli shows his pleasure by feeding the visitor well, treating him with more courtesy than he (likely) would give to anyone else and serving him a lot of alcohol. What does Eli do so that Mr. Barrett won't discover the theft until he is well away from the tavern? Eli fills Mr. B's money pouch with lead disks (fishing sinkers) so that the pouch will look and feel as though it is still full of coins. Why does Matt flee the tavern? A flash of lightning reveals Matt as he peers through the window, where he is watching Eli rob Mr. Barrett. Eli is furious at the boy, telling him "You're going to pay for this if I have to hunt you down all night!" Why would it be dangerous for Matt to return to the tavern? With Eli's history of violent behavior, Matt knows he is in danger. Eli could take revenge, and Matt's punishment would be severe. What do you think Matt's thoughts are as he works the skiff away from the tavern and out on the river? Answers may vary. The river offers his only avenue of escape, and the darkness hides him. As he poles away, Eli's shouts still echoing in his ears, we know that his heart is pounding and that there "[wasn't] a moment to lose." The intensity and threat of the storm are a good metaphor for the situation Matt finds himself in with Eli. Predicting Outcomes What do you think will happen to Matt?

Q&A Chapter 7

Last night's terror fills Matt's thoughts. He will never go back to the tavern. Exhausted and starving, Matt remembers Mrs. Campbell's promise to him. As he heads for Journey's End, vultures circle overhead. He is met with a hostile and suspicious reception from the Campbells' son, Tom. Mrs. Campbell's coachman, Sam, arrives at the scene and assures Tom that Matt had indeed saved Mrs. Campbell's life and that she has offered to help Matt if ever he needs it.

prickle	instinctively	dugout
vulture	doggedly	sauntered
foredeck	pangs	optimism
wharf	liquor	consciousness
piling	squaring	windlass
bedraggled	hesitated	suspicious

Discussion Questions How do you think Matt feels when he encounters Tom upon arriving at Journey's End? Answers may vary. Tom's suspicion and hostility ("Why would my mother want to help you?") embarrasses him (he "flushed") and make him feel that "it was a mistake to come here." It must have hurt his pride to have to ask for help in the face of Tom's attitude. Why is Matt relieved to see Sam? Sam recognizes him, since he's witnessed how Matt saved Mrs. Campbell's life. He can vouch for Matt. 3.æMany times people make promises they don't keep. Why is Mrs. Campbell's promise so important to Matt? At this point, Matt is desperate, and Mrs. Campbell is his only hope ("What if she'd forgotten her promise?"). 4.æAfter the less-than-friendly greeting he received from Tom, why did Matt resist an urge to go back to his skiff and take off down the creek? Matt is "dizzy from hunger" and too weak to leave. He has to "get something to eat first." Predicting Outcomes Do you think Mrs. Campbell will remember her promise to Matt? What kind of a welcome will Matt receive from Mrs. Campbell?

Q&A Chapter 8

Mrs. Campbell comes out of the house to greet Matt and, dismayed by his appearance, insists that he be given a bath and some clean clothes before he comes into the house. She requests that Tom supply Matt with some of his outgrown clothing. A clean and presentable Matt is about to join the family in the dining room when Mrs. Campbell tells him that he is to eat in the kitchen, as only the family eats in the dining room. Later, an exhausted Matt sleeps fitfully in a small room under the eaves of the Campbell house.

descending	blurt	snagged
evaded	burly	resentment
conscious	britches	mutton
whetted	ajar	retreated
shrilled	exhausted	eaves
landing	muffled	indistinctly
vaguely

Discussion Questions Why do you think Tom is so resentful of Matt? He may be a bit jealous of this other boy who has attracted his mother's attention—and has saved her life. Tom may view Matt as lower class and therefore as less "deserving" than himself, and it galls him that Matt should get such attention. æHow does Matt respond when Maria brings out the apple pie? Matt is so hungry that he "[wolfs] it down." æHow does Tom's attitude affect Matt's plans to leave as soon as he eats dinner? Matt is so uncomfortable (and angry) he decides that once he has eaten he'll leave as quickly as he can. "There was no mistaking the resentment in Tom's hard blue eyes." Why doesn't Matt tell Mrs. Campbell what kind of trouble he is in? Answers may vary. He seems to feel that she won't understand or may even take him back to Eli. æHow do you think Matt feels when Mrs. Campbell says that he is not to eat with the family in the dining room, but must eat in the kitchen? Matt must feel embarrassed. He "felt the same way he did the boys made fun of him in the marsh. He wished he could shrink inside of himself and disappear." This was another reminder of his lack of status, of the fact that he didn't belong anywhere. What are some of the reasons Matt decides to stay at Journey's End after he has supper? Matt is exhausted and full of food, and it is too late (too dark, etc.) for him to go back out into the wilderness. æDo you believe that Mrs. Campbell knew she had hurt Matt's feelings? Explain your response with evidence from the story. Perhaps Mrs. Campbell knew that she had hurt Matt's feelings by telling him he was to eat apart from the family. She asked him how he was feeling—there was "genuine concern" in her voice. She tried to let him know that her daughters (at least) were pleased about his appearance at the house. Predicting Outcomes What will Matt do next? Do you think he will remain at Journey's End?

Q&A Chapter 9

When Matt goes downstairs the next morning, he overhears two male voices discussing the marauding pirates who threaten the safety and peace of mind of New Castle. The pirates had nothing to fear from the peaceful Quakers, and they were taking advantage of that fact. Letty, the Campbells' daughter, is very friendly and introduces herself to Matt. When Dr. Campbell enters the room he greets Matt warmly and makes him feel welcome. After the Campbells leave the house, Matt takes some food and puts it into a bundle—he plans to take enough food to last a while and stay with Quinn. He leaves Journey's End in his skiff and arrives at Quinn's to find that his friend has been shot in the head and is dead in the water by his dugout. A vulture circles overhead as Matt lowers Quinn's dugout canoe to cover his dead friend's body. Matt heads back to Journey's End to enlist Dr. Campbell's help in burying Quinn.

maneuvered	balefully	cumbersomely
emphasis	plunder	raptly
blackguards	peace-abiding	stocky
murmur	majestically	billowing
beckoning	bulges	stern
horizontally	spasm	spewed
contorted	grimace	ebbed
prow

Discussion Questions What plans does Matt make to leave Journey's End? Matt plans to steal some food and then go to Quinn's—he figures he'll be alone until Quinn returns, so he needs enough food "to last a couple of days." Why does Matt take the food and leave instead of waiting to talk to Dr. Campbell? Answers may vary. Matt wants to get out of the Campbell household as soon as he can. He is afraid that if the doctor knew about the robbery at Eli's he might think Matt is guilty. æWhat symbol does the author use to let us know of impending doom as Matt approaches Quinn's shack and dugout in the marsh? In this chapter, impending doom is symbolized by the lone vulture, which eyes Matt "balefully" and then takes flight. æHow do you imagine Matt feels when he discovers the murdered body of his friend Quinn? Answers may vary. The story describes him as feeling "numb, blank, empty." He also feels physically ill; "he leaned over the side of the skiff and vomited." Why does Matt return to Journey's End? What do you think he believes his reception will be? Matt returns to Journey's End because he realizes that he has nowhere else to go, and the Campbells aren't "the kind of people who would let vultures pick the flesh off a dead man's bones." (He wants a decent burial for Quinn and hopes the Campbells will help him.) Matt doesn't expect a warm reception, because he has stolen their food and left without telling anyone. Why does Matt say to himself that there will be time for thinking later? Matt tells himself that he'll think about Quinn's death "later" because the most important thing is for him to get back to Journey's End as soon as possible and tell Dr. Campbell what has happened. Predicting Outcomes What do you think might happen when Matt returns to Journey's End with news of Quinn's death?

Q&A Chapter 10

An angry Tom tackles Matt and calls him a thief when he returns to Journey's End. Dr. Campbell appears on the scene and orders Tom to stop fighting. When Dr. Campbell asks Matt to tell him what the matter is, the distraught boy pours out the story of finding Quinn's body. Dr. Campbell reassures Matt that he has done the right thing by returning to Journey's End for help. Since Quinn's death is a murder, Dr. Campbell sends Tom off to fetch the sheriff. Matt can only reply "I don't know" when Dr. Campbell asks him why he stole the food and ran away. He then tells Matt to take the food from the boat and give it to Maria before it spoils. After he has attended to a patient, Dr. Campbell makes plans with Matt to go back to the marsh and bury the body. The field hand, Cato, brings news of a fire in the marsh, and Matt realizes that it is Quinn's hut that's on fire.

straddled	impact	sternly
belligerent	reluctantly	heaves
sullenness	lark	glimmer
pursued	migrated	prying
clenched	arrogant	scythes
pianoforte	harvesting

Discussion Questions æWhat is Matt's reception when he returns to Journey's End? Why? Tom calls Matt a thief and beats him up, and Dr. Campbell is stern with him. He is received this way because the Campbells know that he has stolen their food and disappeared without telling anyone why. Why does Dr. Campbell ask Matt what is wrong with him? Dr. Campbell can see that something is wrong when Matt begins to retch and has difficulty in getting up off the ground. When Matt tells Dr. Campbell the story of finding the dead Indian, how does the doctor respond? The doctor responds to Matt's story with the reassurance that "You did right, lad, in coming back to report this." æIn your opinion, what is the doctor's attitude towards Matt? Answers may vary. Dr. Campbell points out to Tom that Matt wouldn't have come back if he'd been the one who shot Quinn. When he asks why Matt stole the food, and Matt replies that he doesn't know, Dr. Campbell's response is simply to tell him to go and give it back to Maria. He doesn't berate the boy. Why do you think Matt responds "I don't know" when asked why he stole the food and ran away? It is difficult for Matt to explain why he stole the food. He is "unable to figure how he could feel uncomfortable [at Journey's End] in spite of the Campbells' kindness." How does Tom's attitude affect Matt's feeling of not "fitting in" at Journey's End? Answers may vary. Tom's belligerent, distrustful attitude is one of the things that makes Matt uncomfortable. When Matt sees Tom approaching, he hopes the boy will leave him alone. Matt's sense "that Quinn's death was nothing but a lark to Tom" causes him to feel even more alone. æHow does Tom demonstrate his curiosity about Quinn? He engages Matt (albeit scornfully) in conversation to satisfy his curiosity, asking, "What was it like finding the body?" and "What did it look like?" æHow do you imagine Matt feels when he realizes that it is Quinn's hut burning? How will this change his plans? Answers may vary. He may feel that his last link with Quinn has been destroyed, which would be devastating. It changes his plan to go and live in Quinn's hut. Also, it means he has nowhere to go, nowhere to be except Journey's End, where he doesn't feel he belongs. Predicting Outcomes Will we find out why Quinn's hut burned down? What do you suppose happened?

Q&A Chapter 11

Matt, Dr. Campbell, and Sam set out to recover and bury Quinn's body. They sail in the shallop and trail the skiff behind to use in the narrows. A black column of vultures swirls overhead as they approach the spot where Quinn's body lies in the water. Dr. Campbell tells Matt to guard the shallop while he and Sam retrieve Quinn's remains in the skiff. There is very little left of the decayed body, so Quinn is buried in his dugout in the marsh waters while Matt, Sam, and Dr. Campbell observe a moment of silence. Matt looks towards the sky for an eagle to carry Quinn's soul to the heavens.

hoisting	tarp	musket
yonder	hauled	pallor
raucous	hovered	protruding
scuttled	ballast	ruffling

Discussion Questions   Why do you think the vultures and the eagle are mentioned?Answers may vary. The vultures are symbols of perdition and stealth (like the pirates) as well as being indicators of death and decay ("attracted by the smell of death"), but the eagle had a positive spiritual significance to Quinn and his people (carrying souls to the heavens). Matt looks at the circling vultures and wonders "where [is] the eagle to carry Quinn's soul up to the heavens?" Why do you think Dr. Campbell tells Matt to stay and guard the shallop even though it does not need guarding? Answers may vary. He may want to protect Matt from the trauma of seeing the scene (and the body) again. Why does Dr. Campbell decide to bury Quinn in the dugout in the marsh? It would be impossible to transport Quinn's body back to Journey's End because it is so badly decomposed that there is "hardly anything left to bury" and the smell would be too much to bear. What are Matt's thoughts as they set sail for the return to Journey's End? Who is his one remaining friend? Matt felt "all alone," as though there was no one left in the world to whom he could talk or whom he could trust. His parents, his baby sister, and his best friend are all dead. He feels he has no friends except for Mingo, whom he can't see because of Eli. æDo you agree or disagree with Dr Campbell's decision to bury Quinn in the marsh? Give reasons to support your answer. Answers may vary. Agree: Quinn's body is badly decomposed, and in warm weather the stench could only get worse quickly. It would endanger the health of everyone who came in contact with it, and presumably the doctor knows this. Disagree: It makes more sense to bury Quinn's body on the land near his hut. They could return with a shovel.

Q&A Chapter 12

Matt helps with the last of the harvesting after returning from Quinn's burial. Dr. and Mrs. Campbell questioned Matt about his reason for stealing the food and about his relationship with Eli. After hearing his story, they then ask Matt to stay on at Journey's End.

lashed	abruptly	mahogany
secretary	dominated	expectantly
indentured	respond	tenant
shifted

Discussion Questions Why do you think Matt stays on at Journey's End? Matt needs to stay at Journey's End because with Quinn dead he has nowhere else to go. When the Campbells invite him to stay and help out around the place, he accepts, because he doesn't "have much of a choice." What is the main drawback to Matt's remaining at Journey's End? Tom's hostility is the main drawback to Matt's remaining at Journey's End. How does Matt explain his relationship with Eli? He explains his departure from the tavern by telling Dr. Campbell that Eli beat him. He also says he isn't indentured to Eli but "I got meals and a place to sleep after Pa died, in exchange for helping out" and that Eli doesn't know where he is. Why is Matt surprised when he is asked to stay at Journey's End? "It wasn't what he'd expected, not after stealing the food and running away."

Q&A Chapter 13

Matt overhears Cato telling Quash that a whippoorwill is a spirit "wailin' for all the things he's left undone in life." Dr. Campbell examines Matt's shriveled leg and explains that it has atrophied and that there is no way to repair the damage. Dr. Campbell urges Matt to bear up, telling him that there are worse things in life and that he should be thankful for his good health and make the best of it. In dismay, he leaves the doctor's office and runs into Letty, who tells him she is glad that he's staying at Journey's End. She offers to teach him a tune on the pianoforte to cheer him up, but he declines. Letty shows him a secret hidey-hole, in which the family hides valuables, near the fireplace.