Sam
Sam symbolizes the role of a protector for the Coates family. He goes out of his way to save the children by using his keen sense of smell to track them.
The kidnap
The kidnapping of the children is a symbol of the rising tensions and aggression between Native Americans and Western Americans during the 1860s. The events have a historical basis to them as, in the end, it is the Western Americans who win the fight.
The Fight
The fact that the Coates family rallied their community in the hunt to search for the missing children shows the strength of having a strong and tight-knit community, as is the norm in small towns.
Apache Indians
The Apache Indians are symbolized as being the main antagonists in this book. They kidnap the children and beat them, thereby further propelling their image of barbarism.
