The next Christmas, Paul is surprised to find that Robert and his family have invited the Waverlys to spend Christmas with them. Eager to see his brother, Paul sets out to find him. He meets Mitchell in the woods, whose face is swollen from, Paul surmises, a beating from Willie Thomas. Mitchell says he is planning to leave the plantation, and the two boys part ways. Before long, Paul finds the two older Waverly brothers and Robert leading the panting, lathered, and bleeding Appaloosa down a road toward the barn. Paul is incensed at their clear abuse of the horse, and before he even greets the boys, he tries to calm the horse's labored breathing. Paul lashes out at their irresponsible behavior, calling them fools, and a fight breaks out. Paul
