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“What are y’all doing out here?” he asked

“She has to get to Timmins,” said Peter “Her mom’s sick”

“And he has to get home,” said Hannah “His aunt needs him But he fell on a plow, so he needs to see a doctor first”

Peter nodded and pulled back his tattered wool pants to expose the long white bandage spotted with blood “It’ll need stitches, I’m pretty sure”

“Looks like it,” said thenext to the fire, but on the other side from theles His face was lined the way faces are when they spend a lot of time outside: deep creases around the eyes and the skin under his chin hanging slightly away froh Hannah thought that wasn’t its natural state It looked like a face that smiled more than it was serious

“Is that why you’re out here?” continued the et help?”

“Yes,” said Hannah

“How long have you been going?”

She calculated quickly — Jeb’s, the shortcut and Jonny Swede’s, the quarry and the storht,” she said She pointed down the shore the way he had coht? To Timmins?”

“Yep, that’ll take you to Timmins”

“How far is it?” asked Peter He leaned forward, balancing his bowl on his good leg

“Not far Maybe twenty esturing to the dog sled

Peter looked at Hannah, and his eyes were glowing “We’re aly She has a car”

The y Purcell? You’re Scott’s boy?”

“Yes I’m Peter”