An example of cause and effect in this novel is, when Pa left, Ma was in the house and Mary and Laura were playing outside with Jack, the dog. They saw two Indian men walk into their house. Before Pa left, he told them to not let Jack loose. Laura was going to let him off the leash and Mary objected. She reminded Laura what Pa had said and they decided to go in the house without letting Jack off the leash. When Pa later got home they told him and he said that their decision to not let him loose saved his life and the rest of the family.
