When Melody Austin goes out into the woods, she can enjoy the beauty of the trees and the shimmer of her beloved lake, but she can't hear the birds singing, nor can she tell her parents what she has seen. For Melody is deaf, and she cannot utter an intelligible word. One day she discovers that a stranger, a young Irish boy, is hiding in the woods near the lake she often visits. Upon meeting him, she is both intriqued and perplexed, for she must face the question of what to do about him and the horse he has stolen. Little does she realize, however, that because of Danny O'Dare and the horse Blue Lightning, her silent, lonely world will be changed forever. In this sequel to The Journeyman, Elizabeth Yates continues the story of Jared and Jennet, centering now on their two sons, Rufus and Benoni, and their courageous daughter, Melody. Set in New Hampshire in the 1830s, Hue and Cry takes its name from a historic band of men who dedicated themselves to work with the sheriff in bringing horse thieves to justice. - Back cover.