Mark is surprised when David expresses knowledge of things such as treating his wounds, and the father and son gradually become closer.

Finally, it is revealed that Mark lost a brother to a drowning accident in his childhood, which has haunted him ever since and made him feel weak for not being able to save the deceased sibling.

Kirkus Reviews stated of the book, "the sympathetic handling of the boy's feeling under very unusual circumstances distinguishes this excellent outdoor adventure story" and praised the dynamics of David and Mark's relationship.

[1] The New York Times was more critical, stating, "there is inconsistency in characterization in that David's terror of his father, which is the motivating force of the book, seems unjustified.

However, children with a taste for outdoor stories will like the book for its physical details; the intimate descriptions of nature and camping life make the Western forest and river seem a woodsman's paradise.