Freedom's price

the long version

Tucker Beaumont got a taste of the wild, free life as a boy. He hunted, fished, trapped, and camped out for two years with his father. In 1838, when his father died, Tuck became the possession of a Lakota warrior. Freedom became the ten-year-old boy's obsession. After four years, he found a trapper who would pay the high price asked for his release. Tuck was elated to be redeemed, but fearful at the same time. The man who bartered him out of captivity was a runaway slave, who spoke harshly of white folks. Their adventure begins after five years of trapping when Tuck comes of age and has accumulated enough wealth to buy the runaway slave his freedom as gratitude for rescuing and raising him. But the price is higher; the runaway wants his family to be purchased and free, as well. The trek to return to the slave town to redeem the runaway's family members is loaded with suspense as they meet with numerous dangers, injuries, and delays. They arrive only to find out the price is too high and they do not have enough to buy everyone's freedom.--From the publisher's statement, p. [4] of cover.