Sam Abbott helps his father pack their family’s wagon with supplies such as bacon and flour. In preparation for their long journey to the Oregon territory from their Missouri farm, the Abbott family stopped in Independence, Missouri, to buy supplies at a trading post. Sam is daunted by the thought of the long journey and is sad that he had to leave his old dog, Scout, behind on the family farm. Sam’s mother and older sister, Lizzie, pack herbs while Sam takes care of his little sister, Amelia.

Independence is a bustling town full of travelers heading west, either to join the California Gold Rush or to settle on Oregon’s farmland. The Oregon Trail is notorious for its hazards, including starvation, disease, violence, and natural disasters. Sam wonders if Oregon will really be a land of prosperity like his father promised. His mother asks him where Amelia is, and they realize that she has gone missing.

Luke and Sadie have pizza for lunch in their backyard while their dog, Ranger, digs and plays. Ranger notices a squirrel and chases it until it escapes up a tree. Ranger completed the training to be a search-and-rescue dog and is good at using scent to find missing people.