It is April 1940. Twelve-year-old Peter Lundstrom plays with his friend Michael on the snowy hills outside the children’s hometown of Riswyk, Norway, racing sleds down the icy slopes. Helga Thomsen, another friend, and Lovisa Lundstrom, Peter’s younger sister, arrive and join in. It is a particularly snowy winter, and there is still ample snow falling. The children see Peter and Lovisa’s uncle, Victor Lundstrom, on the road near the beach below with his friend Rolls and shout out a greeting. (Both men are successful fishermen.) Victor eventually hears the children calling down to them and gives an uncharacteristically unenthusiastic wave. He seems distracted.

The children have a snowball fight and return home when it begins to get dark.

Peter and Lovisa tell their father that they saw Uncle Victor. They are surprised when their father quickly gets up and leaves, wanting to see his brother Victor immediately. (Illustrations in the chapter depict the group of children yelling and waving, and an icy sea channel surrounded by high fjords.)