George Washington's Socks

One of Matt’s close friends and a member of the club, Hooter is physically larger and stronger than the others. The author characterizes him as emotionally sensitive with the backstory information about caring for a baby owl. The hunting and killing of a rabbit bothers him, and he seems to be the most bothered in the group by Gustav’s death.

Hoot is empathetic and kind, sticking up for Katie and talking Matt into allowing her to attend the meeting. He tends to wear emotions candidly; he embraces Tony when afraid of rebel soldiers in the past, and an omniscient breakthrough in the narrative reveals that he sleeps with a teddy bear.

A club member and friend of Matt’s, Q is intelligent, quick-thinking, and intellectually curious. Matt bestows upon him the role of strategist and thinker for the club, and indeed, Q is often making conclusions and offering ideas when other do not. He is supposedly the quickest thinker in the school, and he shared the responsibility of the history report with Matt. 

Near the end of the story, Q is concerned with tending properly to General Washington’s socks. Once he successfully barters them away from Katie for a bag of marshmallows, he ponders a good location for them in his collections of interesting objects and plans to “hang them in a place of reverence over [his] antique snakeskin collection” (161).

Another friend to Matt and adventure club member, Tony hosts the campout. He recommends waiting for permission for the hike, but Matt overrules him. Serving the plot as the archetypal herald, Tony reveals the legend of the lake and pertinent clues to the mysterious disappearances, as told to him by his grandfather.

As the smallest in physical size among the boys, he accepts his role of scout, though each time he carries out the task, he is not more than a few feet ahead of the group.

Katie Carlton, Matt’s seven-year-old sister, has imagination and spunk. She voices demands and desires throughout the story, and in fact, it is her petulant complaints that “steer” the rowboat back home near the story’s end. 

Matt feels compelled to take Katie on the campout to avoid her tattling about the peas, and he feels forced into taking her on the hike due to her threats to call home and tell their parents what Matt is up to. She often serves as a complication for Matt; he is often worried about her or having to deal with her actions, as when she falls from the rowboat or steps onto thin ice.

Israel serves as both an archetypal Ally and a Mentor to Matt. Though not much older than Matt, he helps and guides Matt in the hours after Matt separates from his friends. Israel helps Matt pull a fence piece and huddles with him for warmth. Israel initiates a trade for Matt’s shoe because his own foot is badly infected and starting to “freeze up” (55). When Israel shares his enlistment story and personal background, Matt learns that not all soldiers in the Revolution sought glory or heroics.

Throughout these Mentor moments, Israel consistently tells Matt that he, Israel, will stick by Matt’s side and help him along. Ironically, as Israel is dying, Matt faces the decision to stay with him or abandon him for the relative protection of the passing army. Matt’s choice to stay with Israel demonstrates a thoughtfulness and consideration that proves change in Matt’s character; in fact, later, Matt himself recollects that staying with Israel when he needed Matt most was the right thing to do, and this bolsters him toward more confident decision-making.

Though his characterization is static throughout the story, General Washington serves as a secondary, indirect Mentor to Matt. Matt is wide-eyed with respect for General Washington’s strong demeanor crossing the Delaware, and throughout the book, Matt reflects on the rebel soldiers’ blind loyalty to officers like Washington and to the cause he represents.

The character of General Washington symbolizes the inner strength or faith upon which one must rely in times of uncertainty. All components of this character—dress, voice, actions, presence, decisions—inspire Matt, and Q echoes this sentiment when he mentions finding a place of honor for General Washington’s spare socks.