Charles and Albert travel with the Cooper family, parents Alvin and Sarah, 11-year-old James and 8-year-old Cassandra, while on a delivery run. When they encounter a steep hill, Charles and Alvin agree to take the hill one at a time, with the children staying with the Ingalls wagon. However, something goes horribly wrong and Alvin loses control of the wagon; the wagon crashes at the bottom of the hill, and both he and Sarah are killed instantly.