Samuel Meeker And The Patriot: Summary

Samuel Meeker storms into the Meeker tavern in a muddy uniform one rainy and wet day on April 1775. With a hungry stomach and a smile on his face he claims : "We've just beaten the British in Massachusetts!” which makes father extremely mad. You see, Father is loyal to the English government and King, or as Sam would say, Lobsterbacks. They get into an argument, which isn’t unusual between Sam and Father. Later, when the brothers are outside together Sam reveals to Tim his plan to steal their father's gun to fight-with the Patriots. Tim protests, says that stealing the gun would be a sin. Also, fighting with the patriots could get him killed, and it would be betraying Father and the King. But Sam won’t give in. The next morning, Sam is gone-and so is the gun.
He knows Sam is there because he often goes there when he gets into a fight with father, and is mad. Tim tries to talk Sam out of going to war once again, but Sam still won’t listen. Along with Sam is Betsy Read, one of the Meeker’s neighbors. Betsy asks Tim which side he supports, and Tim has trouble deciding between loyalty and independence. He chooses not to answer, and knowing he can no longer convince the strong headed Sam to stay, he leaves Sam to it. Sam leaves Redding, and after several long months Betsy secretly tells Tim that Sam has returned. Tim enthusiastically wants to visits his brother, and it turns out he needs to when Rebel soldiers enter his house and violently demand his father's gun. Tim knows for a fact the gun is with Sam. Tim runs to Sam's hideout, steals the gun from Sam while he’s sleeping, and runs, but is soon overtaken by Sam who has woken up. Together they return to the house and find that their parents have been