A Northern Light Chapter 17 Summary

This chapter takes place in the flashback.

Beth and Mattie go to the pickle boat to drop off some milk and butter and buy some candy with the extra money from the fiddleheads for her sisters and her. Uncle Fifty left for Old Forge that morning, stay overnight and be back in the morning. Royal and his mother were at the pickle boat to drop off some eggs in exchange for a dollar, which she gave to Royal and then they were off. When they got home, Mrs. Wilcox was talking to Pa about college and her test scores: A+: English Lit and Comp. A: History. B: Science. B-: Math.

Pa kept arguing with Mrs. Wilcox and wouldn't except the fact that she was going to leave and that she needed extra training. When he talked to Mattie afterwards he asked her why she didn't tell him herself, and she said that she knew he would say no. He looked hurt and said that she could go, but she couldn't come back if she did.