The chapters summarize key events in the early parts of the novel My Brother Sam is Dead by James and Christopher Collier. Sam returns home from Yale having fought for the American army, causing tension with his Tory father. Sam then runs away with his gun to rejoin the army. Tim worries about the effects of the war but promises not to tell his father about Sam's activities. Later, Sam briefly returns home but tensions remain high as the Continentals seek guns from Tory families.