Rescue on the Oregon Trail (Ranger in Time, #1)

“Pa said that the Oregon Territory was a land of milk and honey. He said it would be one of those places to love for sure. Still, Sam couldn’t help worrying it would be like Independence—a land of dust, smelly animals, and stale bread.”

Pa’s optimism about Oregon represents the mindset of many pioneers who traveled west in the hope of creating a better life. This passage reveals the optimism and fear of pioneering families as they risked everything to travel west.

“‘Poor Ranger. You still can’t resist those squirrels, can you?’ Luke came over and scratched Ranger’s ear. ‘You would have been such a good search-and-rescue dog.’ Ranger thought so, too.”

Luke reveals that Ranger is a trained and intelligent dog but is too distractible-prone to be a rescue dog. This scene helps readers imagine Ranger’s abilities and recognize his desire to help people, which will become a large part of his character and the story’s plot.

“Ranger sniffed the air. This was not his backyard. He smelled coffee and hot grease […] and bacon! But above it all, he smelled men. Crowds of them, hurrying and carrying and loading. They smelled of dust and smoke and sweat.”

Ranger realizes that he isn’t in his backyard anymore but has time-traveled to a very different place. This description paints a historically realistic picture of Independence, Missouri, from a dog’s perspective, helping readers imagine the setting as well as Ranger’s confusion.

“Home. Ranger sniffed the dusty air. Maybe if he did his work, if he found the person, Luke would come and say ‘Good job!’ and they could go home.”

This passage shows how Ranger tries to make sense of his time travel, considering it like a search-and-rescue exercise. Ranger’s inner thoughts make him a sympathetic character, as he mostly wants to please his owner, Luke, and go home to him.

“Ranger looked for Luke again. He couldn’t find him. But he saw the little Amelia girl tugging away from her big sister’s hand, trying to run off. Ranger decided he needed to help look after her ‘out on the trail,’ wherever that was.”

Ranger’s caring instincts motivate him to accompany the Abbotts on the trail. This passage adds to the theme of The Dog-Human Bond, showing that Ranger is loyal to his owner, Luke, but also feels pulled to protect his new family.

“As the days went by, everyone traveled more slowly. People got sick. Some of them got better, but not all. The smell of newly turned dirt made Ranger’s fur stand up each time they passed a fresh grave.”

Ranger observes the human travelers becoming sick and dying, adding to the story’s tension and unease. This passage highlights the high risk of disease on the trail, giving the book a sense of realism.

“Pa and the other men drew the wagons and livestock together. They hurried the women and children into the wagons, then took their guns and ducked behind some rocks to wait. Ma held baby Isaac close in one arm and circled the other tightly around Amelia. Ranger stayed close to her, too.”

The stampeding buffalo threaten the pioneer group, who circle their wagons to create a defensive line against them. While the buffalo are a frightening addition to the landscape, they also provide valuable food for the families, helping develop the theme of The Natural Landscape as Both a Threat and a Provider.

“Ranger stayed, too, curled up next to Sarah by the campfire. He leaned his big, warm body against her. Ranger understood sad. He remembered when Luke and Sadie’s grandmother had died, and everyone cried. He understood there wasn’t much you could do about sad. But snuggling sometimes helped a little, so that’s what Ranger did.”

Ranger’s intuitive and caring nature draws him toward Sarah as she grieves the death of her parents. This passage helps build the theme of The Dog-Human Bond, showing how Ranger offers valuable companionship as well as rescue skills.

“The air was alive with excited voices and the clang of hammers as the blacksmith went about shoeing horses and oxen. There must have been two hundred wagons, along with Lakota Sioux men who had come on horses to trade.”

The book’s description of Fort Laramie, an important pitstop on the Oregon Trail, captures the lively trade between pioneers, settlers, and Indigenous traders. This passage adds to the realism of the work, helping young readers imagine pioneer families trading stories and goods while preparing their animals for the rest of the journey.

“‘Look at them all.’ She pointed at the rock wall in front of them. It was covered in names. Hundreds and hundreds of names. Some were full names with dates. Some just first names. They were chiseled into the rock or scratched with nails or written in looping black paint like Sam had brought. The names went on and on. ‘There are so many,’ Lizzie whispered.”

The Abbott children are amazed to see the hundreds of names of pioneers who have already passed by Independence Rock. This landmark humanizes the pioneers and invites readers to imagine the characters’ experiences on the trail.

“‘You want to make your mark on the rock, Dog?’ Sam grinned and knelt down. He lifted Ranger’s paw smeared it with homemade paint, and pressed it against the wall. ‘There! Now there’s a record of your journey too.’”

In this passage, Sam Abbott helps Ranger write on Independence Rock, an important milestone on the Oregon Trail. This quotation contributes to the theme of The Dog-Human Bond, showing how Sam considers Ranger an important part of the family and a fellow traveler on the trail.

“Ranger lifted his head. Luke used to talk like this with him sometimes, when they were alone in the backyard or up in Luke’s bedroom. He’d talk about important things and ask questions as if Ranger were another person. Ranger could never answer, but somehow, Luke always understood he was listening. Sam seemed to understand, too.”

Ranger enjoys listening to Sam as they explore hidden caves in Independence Rock. This passage supports the theme of The Dog-Human Bond, as Ranger realizes that he’s valuable company for Sam as well as his original owner, Luke.

“Ranger nuzzled her hand. He’d miss Sarah, too, and hoped she’d be alright. Seeing her small hand tucked into her uncle’s big one made Ranger feel better. Safe, he thought. Sarah looked safe.”

Ranger is concerned for Sarah, who is leaving the Abbott group, but he feels reassured to see her reunited with her uncle. This passage helps further develop the theme of The Dog-Human Bond: Ranger’s caring nature makes him feel protective over his human companions.

“Another night, the mosquitoes were so thick they swirled like flakes in a snowstorm. When Ma started making bread, so many got into her bowl that there was no way to pick them all out. She finally gave up and kneaded them into the dough. The bread that night was more black than white.”

The Abbott family faces unpredictable conditions on their months-long journey on the Oregon Trail. By describing how they coped with the wild landscape, the book further develops the theme of The Natural Landscape as Both a Threat and a Provider.

“‘Do you think we’ll cross?’ Sam whispered as they started back towards the wagons. Lizzie shrugged. ‘It’s Pa’s choice,’ she said. ‘He seems set on doing it.’ ‘What if it’s dangerous?’ Sam’s voice was full of worry. Ranger trotted closer and nudged his hand. ‘Everything’s dangerous out here,’ Lizzie said.”

The Abbott kids discuss their family’s plan to cross the notorious Snake River, a site where many pioneers and their animals drowned. This passage contributes to the theme of Courage in the Face of Uncertainty, as the kids must bravely cope with their parents’ decision and its possible consequences.

“But mostly, he wanted Pa and Mr. Harrigan to come so everyone would stop feeling so scared and edgy. Ranger hated that prickly-neck-hair feeling. It was everywhere now, in the dust and the wind and the water. Danger.”

Ranger’s perspective on the river crossing adds tension and drama to the scene, as he senses the danger that Pa Abbott is in. This passage foreshadows that something terrible will happen to Pa. In addition, this description illustrates Ranger’s intuitive and intelligent nature and deepens his characterization as a caring, heroic dog.

“Pa couldn’t hold on. He lost his grip on the reins, slid off the horse, and splashed into the river. Mr. Harrigan was right there, should have been close enough to grab him, but the water was frothing with stamping horse hooves and current and mud. Mr. Harrigan leaned down from his horse, hand stretched out. But Pa was already gone.”

In this frightening scene, Pa Abbott is thrown from his horse and into the Snake River, which quickly carries him downstream. This passage shows how the pioneers faced many natural obstacles in the landscape, deepening the theme of The Natural Landscape as Both a Threat and a Provider.

“Training hadn’t smelled like this—like fear and panic and coughed-up river water. Ranger swam right beside Pa, kicked him in the shoulder, and poked him in the ear with his nose. Finally, Pa’s eyes focused on the dog and then—Yes!—he lunged at the rope.”

Ranger’s heroic actions save Pa Abbott from drowning in the river. This important scene shows how Ranger was crucial to the Abbott family’s survival on their journey, suggesting that the purpose behind his time travel was to save the family and ensure their safe arrival in Oregon.

“Dr. Loring came by at the end of every day on the trail. He cut Sam’s arm so the bad blood could drain out, but Sam still shivered under his scratchy blanket. Ma was afraid he had cholera like Sarah’s mother and father.”

In this passage, Dr. Loring tries to treat Sam for mountain fever, for which there is no cure. This scene depicts a historically realistic example of medicine when doctors had little knowledge about germs and infections and tried to resolve symptoms through bloodletting.

“‘Where are you going, Dog?’ Sam looked confused. He stood up, and one of the quilt squares fluttered down from his pocket. ‘Aren’t you coming?’ Ranger sniffed the square, then picked it up carefully in his teeth.”

Ranger realizes that he might have a chance to time-travel back to his original home and owner, Luke. Knowing that Sam uses his quilt squares as a form of remembrance, Ranger accepts one from him so that he also remembers the Abbott family and his experiences on the Oregon Trail.

“But Sam didn’t move. He watched Ranger trot back to the first aid kit and sit down. Finally, Sam nodded as if he understood. ‘Thanks, Dog,’ he said quietly.”

This moving scene shows that Sam understands that Ranger won’t live with his family permanently. Sam’s gratitude for Ranger’s companionship and service supports the theme of The Dog-Human Bond, as does Ranger’s desire to go home to his owner, Luke.

“Ranger sniffed the air. He smelled squirrel. He smelled the fresh-grass-and-gasoline twang of Dad’s lawn mower. He smelled Sadie and Luke and pizza, and somewhere, still buried in the garden dirt, a bone from a long-ago steak.”

This passage helps readers imagine Ranger’s home from his perspective in this setting. By describing the familiar surroundings of Ranger’s backyard, the book provokes relief that Ranger is finally back home safely after his arduous journey on the Oregon Trail.

“Ranger followed Luke inside to the mudroom, still licking grease from his muzzle. ‘What’s that?’ Luke reached for the first-aid kit that hung around Ranger’s neck. Then he noticed the quilt square and slipped it from under Ranger’s collar. ‘Did you dig all this up in the garden? That’s pretty cool. Let’s show mom.’”

Ranger finally reunites with Luke, for whom no time has passed. Luke’s casual reaction to seeing Ranger reveals that he has no idea what Ranger has experienced. This scene conveys a sense of closure to Ranger’s adventure by showing that he’s back home with his original owner.