Motorcycles and Sweetgrass

The next morning, Nanabush sees that a huge number of raccoons defecated and urinated on his motorcycle. He calls out to the raccoons, saying he wants to end the feud. The chief raccoon makes many demands that the novel does not explain to readers, and Nanabush concedes.

Virgil and Wayne are determined to get Nanabush out of Otter Lake. When Virgil gets to school, Dakota is missing. Knowing she thinks she’s in love with Nanabush, Virgil decides that Dakota needs to be rescued just like his mom. He skips school and catches up with Wayne on his way to Sammy’s house. When Virgil tells Wayne he warned Dakota about Nanabush, Wayne calls him an idiot—this would only have pushed her to Nanabush: “Nobody likes to be told what to do and who they can be friends with” (286). In the woods outside Sammy’s, they see Nanabush pull up on a motorcycle with bags of junk food, from bacon to candy. Nanabush throws all the food out to the woods. Raccoons scurry around and disappear, seemingly having settled their score.

Wayne decides to confront Nanabush. He calls into the house telling Nanabush to come out. Nanabush emerges. Virgil and Wayne accuse the man who calls himself John of being Nanabush, which Nanabush does not deny.