Nick, Mya, and Indaw stay up later than Jackson discussing the plan, and the people who will care for them along the way to Australia. Mya seems to have resigned herself to leaving, but Nick has no intention of backing down. The next morning, Nick wakes up early and goes for a swim in the river to soothe his sore ribs. As he floats, he wonders how to persuade his father to let him stay: “His father was taking a stand. Why wouldn't he allow Nick to take a stand with him?” (97). Suddenly, Nick hears shouts in the woods, and Japanese soldiers appear. They take Jackson, Indaw, and Mya hostage, violently hitting and kicking them and firing their guns. They can't see Nick, who hides behind a snag in the river. Magwe and another mahout then appear on elephants, and Indaw rages at them, believing they are traitors. The Japanese soldiers clear out the campsite, taking everyone but Nick hostage. After they leave, Nick swims ashore to discover a message scratched in the dirt. It tells him to find Hilltop. He begins to swim to the island but is apprehended by another Japanese soldier,