- All the Baxters' crops are ruined. They try to salvage some by harvesting them early, but most of it is a total write-off, or would be if write-offs existed in the 1870s.
- The flood waters have gone down, but the entire forest stinks like rotting things. Gag!
- In desperation, Penny goes out into the woods and cuts some marsh grass for hay.
- While there, he and Jody see a sick panther and an even sicker buck, with a black, swollen tongue.
- It looks like there's a plague going through the wild animals, and Jody is terrified Flag will get it.
- They can't eat any animals that are sick, and can only water their farm animals with their own drinking water. Great, strain their resources even more.
- Jody keeps asking his Pa questions about the plague, and what's going to happen, but for once, Penny is stumped.