Theme: No matter how safe you think you are be prepared for any thing.

The book starts in the year 1756 in Guilderland, New York with Edward Van Alstyne, his sister Trudy Van Alstyne, and his mother Gertrude Van Alstyne. When his Great Grandfather moved to New York he brought his matchlock gun from Bergen Op Zoom in the Netherlands. Gertrude always wanted to have it just in case. While Edward’s father Teunis, was out defending against the Indians with his local militia men, Edward, Trudy, and his mother did their daily chores. One day News arrives that the Indians had broken threw and were burning nearby settlements. Gertrude was thinking about going to her mother-in-laws house until she sees smoke in the distance. That night as she sets up the matchlock by the window she starts to close the door until five Indians show up and tomahawked. When they approached they tried to burn down the house but when the Indians get close he fires the matchlock killing three while the other two run away. Before their house burned he was able to get in and save the matchlock gun while dragging their unconscious mother to safety. Then their father comes and rescues them.

I chose a matchlock gun because this is the same kind of rifle Edward used to protect his family. When the Indians came and tomahawked Gertrude, Edwards mother, he had to load the matchlock and shoot the Indians. Out of the 5 he killed 3 and scared the other two away.