Summary
And once some large animal lumbered away,
crackling the undergrowth as it went. And Kino gripped the handle
of the big working knife and took a sense of protection from it.
(See Important Quotations Explained)
On a clear, windy night, Kino, Juana, and Coyotito begin
their long march north, avoiding the sleeping town. Outside of town,
they follow a road, carefully walking in a wheel rut to conceal
their tracks. They walk all night and make camp in a roadside shelter
at sunrise. After eating a small breakfast, Juana rests until midday.
Kino spots a cluster of ants and lays down his foot as an obstacle.
The ants climb over it, and he keeps his foot in place and watches
them scale it.
When Juana rises, she asks Kino if he thinks they will
be pursued. Juana then begins to doubt Kino’s conviction that the
pearl is worth far more than the dealers offered, but Kino points
out that his attackers would not have tried to steal the pearl were
it worth nothing. Kino stares at the pearl to read his future. He
lies to Juana, telling her that he sees a rifle, a marriage in a
church, and an education for Coyotito. In truth Kino sees a body
bleeding on the ground, Juana making her way home through the night
after being beaten, and Coyotito’s face swollen as though he were
sick.
The family retreats farther into the shade for another
rest. While Kino sleeps soundly, Juana is restless. As she plays
with Coyotito, Kino wakes from a dream and demands that they keep
quiet. Creeping forward, he spots a trio of trackers pursuing their
trail. Kino stiffens and attempts to be still and silent until the
trackers have passed. He watches them grow nearer and prepares to
spring on them with his knife if necessary. Juana also hears the
approaching trackers and does her best to quiet Coyotito.
The trackers’ horse grows excited as the trackers approach
the shelter. For a moment, it appears that they are poised to apprehend Coyotito
and Juana, but eventually they lose their lead on the trail and
move on. Kino realizes that it is only a matter of time before they
return, and he runs quickly to Juana, telling her to gather up her
things so that they can leave at once. Suddenly, Kino feels their cause
to be hopeless and loses his will to flee, but Juana castigates him
for giving up on his family. Finally, Kino suggests that they might
be able to lose the trackers up in the mountains.
Kino and Juana collect their belongings and flee with
Coyotito through the undergrowth, making no effort to conceal their
tracks. As they climb the first rises, Kino realizes that
the distance he is putting between his family and the trackers offers
only a temporary fix to their problem. When Juana takes a rest with
Coyotito, Kino proposes that she hide while he moves on ahead. Until
the trackers have been diverted, she can take refuge in a nearby
town. But, despite Kino’s insistence, Juana refuses to split up,
so the family moves on together.
As their ascent grows steeper, Kino attempts to vary
and double back on their route to mislead the trackers. As the sun
begins to set, Kino and Juana reach a nearby cleft and replenish
their water supply at a pool and stream, where they drink to contentment,
and Juana rinses Coyotito. From the lookout, Kino spies the trackers
at a distance below, hurrying up the slope. Juana also realizes
that they are still being pursued.
