Members of The Crew:

Andersson, Catherine “Carty” – Charter member of The Crew (group of friends), skilled archer, swamp expert, strong-willed tomboy, daughter of Michael and Bay Andersson, great niece of Lilly Andersson, fourteen

Holmes, Blake – Charter member of The Crew (group of friends), strong, courageous, gifted athlete, well versed in wilderness conditions, male, nearly fifteen

Stein, Maximilian “Mack” – Newly invited member of The Crew (group of friends), recent Jewish-German immigrant to Florida, well educated and cosmopolitan, committed to his adopted country, confronts intimidating wilderness conditions, fourteen

Wending, Hale – Charter member of The Crew (group of friends), leading student, from a large black family, good athlete, brave, resourceful, knowledgeable on wilderness conditions, male, fourteen

Other Good Guys:

Andersson, Lilliquest “Lilly” – Wealthy descendant of a Florida sugar mogul, influential citizen of the town of Winter Free, philanthropist, aunt of Michael Andersson and great aunt of Carty Andersson, sixty-six years old

Andersson, Michael – WWII Army Ranger, decorated veteran, expert tracker, engineer, operator of family limerock mining operation, father of Carty Andersson, middle thirties

Elsmore, James – County Sheriff, WWII veteran, level-headed, fair-minded leader, principled, honest, early thirties

The Bad Guys:

Cruz Cruz aka “The Cuban” – U.S. Marine veteran, Tampa native, born to Cuban parents, emotionless, deadly behind-the-scenes power broker, superb military and operational mind, leader of the attackers of Sally Canfield, early to middle fifties

Dolder, Haywood – Fellow student and nasty rival of Carty Andersson, spoiled-rotten son of Winter Free’s Chevrolet Dealer, devious but not particularly bright, thinks highly of himself, fourteen

Dredman, Damon – Possibly Ivy League educated, lazy, criminal, drunkard, get-rick-quick schemer, part of the attackers of Sally Canfield, late thirties

Hostetter, Clemens – Former neighbor of Sally Canfield, dim-witted, lethargic, easily led astray, lackey of Damon Dredman, part of the attackers of Sally Canfield, middle twenties

Zeller, Carey – WWII veteran of the Pacific Campaign, had difficulty adjusting back to civilian life, loyal to Cruz Cruz, shrewd, glimmer of a moral compass, skilled in combat, experienced in wilderness conditions, part of the attackers of Sally Canfield, early thirties


You Decide – Good or Bad?!

Canfield, Sally – Last descendant of ancestors driven from Salem, Massachusetts during the Witch Trials of the Seventeenth Century, recluse, mischievous, feared as a witch by most Winter Free townsfolk, upper twenties

Montooth – Enormous alligator with large misplaced tooth, protector of ducks, denizen of Duck Lake, loyal, age unknown but believed to be well over one hundred