Will’s Race for Home: Chapters XIX–XXX

by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Will Samuels and his father embark on a 40-day trek from their Texas sharecropper existence to stake claim on free land during the 1889 Oklahoma Land Rush. Having survived the dangers of traversing remote frontier lands, Will still must make the ride of his life for his family's freedom against all odds.

Here are links to our lists for the book: Chapters I–V, Chapters VI–XI, Chapters XII–XVIII, Chapters XIX–XXX, Chapters XXXI–XXXVIII
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. flabbergasted
    as if struck dumb with astonishment and surprise
    I stop, flabbergasted. “You’re not going to fight, are you?”
  2. ruefully
    in a manner expressing pain or sorrow
    “You’re hurt,” I gasp.
    “I’ve still got a good hand,” Caesar says ruefully.
  3. grimace
    contort the face to indicate a certain mental state
    The doctor grimaces at the sandy-haired man, the sheriff.
  4. emphatic
    forceful and definite in expression or action
    “Enough bloodshed,” the doctor says, emphatic. He stands, faces both men.
  5. tumultuous
    characterized by unrest or disorder or insubordination
    It’s only noon, but the hours since dawn feel as long, as tumultuous as a stormy week.
  6. guttural
    relating to or articulated in the throat
    Guttural, almost animal-like, Caesar is calling, “Water.”
  7. mournful
    expressing sorrow
    Then his voice drops low, mournful: “An overseer attacked us. We had just left the plantation. Pa tried to reason with him. Kept repeating, ‘We’re free. We’re free.’
  8. delirious
    experiencing hallucinations
    Mostly unconscious but sometimes delirious, Caesar would beg for water.
  9. endure
    face and withstand with courage
    Of course, during the war, he endured worse.
  10. resolute
    firm in purpose or belief
    Father, resolute, climbs onto the wagon perch.
  11. gingerly
    in a manner marked by extreme care or delicacy
    Ears pointed, Belle steps gingerly into the water. Her head bobs, her tail swishes. Rushing water covers her hooves.
    “Good girl,” I call encouragingly.
  12. dejected
    affected or marked by low spirits
    Sitting before the fire, I slip my hand into Father’s. He’s disappointed, dejected.
  13. bittersweet
    tinged with sadness
    “My body—me—holds the claim,” I say.
    We hug. Like him and Grandpa, we share bittersweet memories. (An unshakable bond.)
  14. strident
    being sharply insistent on being heard
    “He’s not a good shot,” Father says, strident, shifting his weight side to side.
  15. forthright
    characterized by directness in manner or speech
    Firelight and shadows glow behind them. Moonlight shines down. Caesar is intense, forthright.
Created on Wed Feb 25 20:56:46 EST 2026 (updated Tue Apr 07 12:35:41 EDT 2026)

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