"Here is where you will enter. The boat from here will pull up on this beach. When you go, we will need to be up early, to catch the morning mist at its best. I will let the others know when you are ready, of course. Let's not get ahead of ourselves," he said.
"Let's not be losing that stone, either," Laila said, noticing Pa had just knocked the stone from the table with another sweep of his hand.
"Laila, perhaps I should give this to you, for safe keeping," Pa suggested, picking the stone from the floor and handing it to her.
"Pa, what if there's no one to meet me? How will I get to the village?" Max asked, studying the forest and mountains that were drawn on the map. The village appeared to be miles from where the boat would land. Pa gave a short chuckle.
"Max, unless you are planning to arrive unannounced, then you need not worry about such things."
Max hadn't the time to plan anything yet. His head swam with fear, not of going to a strange place but of never finding his mother alive.
"Now pay attention, because it is quite likely I am only going to be able to say these things once..." Pa said.
Max leaned forward in his chair, his face hovering over the map, his attention set on Pa's words as they explained the terrain set out before him. Max felt for the penny he had dropped in his pocket. He would need to remember how important it was.
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