What two gifts does his father give Matt before he leaves?

Before Matt's father left for Massachusetts to pick up Matt's younger sister and pregnant mother, he gave him two special items that would later play a part in the story.

Because Matt would be alone once his father left, he needed a way to protect himself and acquire food. Matt's father left Matt his own rifle, a much better one than Matt had. The rifle was a valuable possession, but his father wanted to be as sure as he could be that Matt was safe and able to procure food.

He also left Matt a silver watch that was a family heirloom. Though Matt did not necessarily need it to tell time, his father hoped that in some way the watch would help keep Matt company.

Both items eventually played a large part in the story's plot. The rifle was stolen early in the story when a stranger insisted on spending the night in Matt's cabin. The silver watch served as a final parting gift for Attean near the end of the story when Attean and his tribe moved away from the area where Matt lived.