# Brush — The Middle Five character guide > Brush in The Middle Five by Francis La Flesche. **Role:** major **Also known as:** II Brush, Warren, V Warren Brush **First appearance:** 0004-ii-brush ## Snapshot Quick-witted Omaha boy of the Middle Five, forever throwing spitballs, seizing tin pans, and pulling his friends out of trouble. ## Who they are Brush belongs to the tight knot of boys who share desks, secrets, and schemes at the mission school. He is the one who hurls a paper ball at sleepy Warren, grabs an enormous tin pan to chase the bee swarm, and coaches Sherman on how to dodge Graybeard's swearing charge. His restless ingenuity keeps the gang moving and binds its loyalties. ## Relationships ### [Me](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/me) _friendship_ Brush is the narrator's closest friend and companion, sharing nearly all daily activities and adventures. ### [Graybeard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/graybeard) _social_ Brush and Graybeard interact as elder and youth within the community, with Graybeard showing authority over Brush. ### [Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/lester) _friendship_ Brush and Lester are close friends and co-conspirators in the boys' adventures and pranks. ### [Frank La Flesche](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/frank_la_flesche) _friendship_ Brush and Frank La Flesche are friends and classmates, interacting in the school environment. ### [Me](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/me) _friendship_ Brush is the narrator's closest friend and companion, sharing nearly all daily activities and adventures. ### [Me](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/me) _friendship_ Brush is the narrator's closest friend and companion, sharing nearly all daily activities and adventures. ### [Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/lester) _friendship_ Brush and Lester are close friends and co-conspirators in the boys' adventures and pranks. ### [Frank La Flesche](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/frank_la_flesche) _friendship_ Brush and Frank La Flesche are friends and classmates, interacting in the school environment. ### [Graybeard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/graybeard) _social_ Brush and Graybeard interact as elder and youth within the community, with Graybeard showing authority over Brush. ### [Graybeard](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/graybeard) _social_ Brush and Graybeard interact as elder and youth within the community, with Graybeard showing authority over Brush. ### [Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/lester) _friendship_ Brush and Lester are close friends and co-conspirators in the boys' adventures and pranks. ## In the story ### [The Middle Five](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/the-middle-five) A close friend and fellow student, involved in learning and play. ### [I: The Mission](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/i-the-mission) An older boy who befriends the narrator, offering comfort and advice on how to survive among the schoolboys. ### [II: Brush](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/ii-brush) Rides in and wins a horse race; helps new boys Lester and Warren adjust to school. ### [Edwin](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/iii-edwin) Helps fit Edwin with new clothes and shares a double bed with Warren. ### [Little Bob](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/iv-little-bob) Member of 'the Middle Five' gang who lingers to keep Frank company after school. ### [V: Warren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/v-warren) Warren's brother; encourages Warren to fight, trains him, and later offers to help Edwin fight Jim. ### [V: Warren](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/v-warren) The chapter's focus; a skilled whittler who accepts Gideon's challenge and wins the fight. ### [VI: Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/vi-lester) Identifies the bee swarm, explains bee and American history, borrows the spyglass, and leads the spying. ### [VI: Lester](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/vi-lester) First spots the bee swarm; rings the bell during the chase; meets a girl with candy. ### [The Splinter, the Thorn, and the Rib](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/vii-the-splinter-the-thorn-and-the-rib) Tells the biblical story of Adam and Eve; aspires to be a preacher; defends the minister. ### [The Splinter, the Thorn, and the Rib](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/vii-the-splinter-the-thorn-and-the-rib) Argues about the difference between a snake and a serpent; wakes up confused after the cloud-rubbing dream. ### [Fraudulent Holidays](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/viii-fraudulent-holidays) Helps with the pig transfer, devises the plan to let the pigs out, and later negotiates the sale of the rabbit for cakes. ### [IX: William T. Sherman](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/ix-william-t-sherman) Advises William T. Sherman on how to answer Graybeard's questions about swearing. ### [X: A Runaway](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/x-a-runaway) Remains at school; borrows a spyglass to watch the departing tribe and later nearly discovers the runaways while reading on horseback. ### [A New Study](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xi-a-new-study) Whispers news of the visitors' arrival; correctly answers 'Columbus' during the examination; competes in the spelling bee. ### [A New Study](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xi-a-new-study) Sends a note to his girl across the aisle; first to spot the black carriage and fat men. ### [XII: Ponka Boys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xii-ponka-boys) Leads the charge to retrieve the sleds; fights two Ponka boys before being rescued by Frank. ### [XII: Ponka Boys](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xii-ponka-boys) Notices the Ponka boys leaving with the sleds; whispers to Brush; feels insulted when compared to an owl. ### [The Secret of the Big Seven](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xiii-the-secret-of-the-big-seven) Member of the Middle Five, speaks for the group in agreeing to join the Big Seven's secret, and later refuses to answer Graybeard's questions, enduring a beating. ### [XV: Joe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xv-joe) Listens to the narrator's story, then confronts the superintendent about Graybeard's punishment, securing an apology. ### [The Break](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/chapters/xvi-the-break) Brush is ill and declines to join the narrator; he later dies after giving the narrator his jackknife and speaking of his grandfather. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters/brush - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_middle_five_se/characters