Chapter 8

           ThefiveacresofplowlandontheAndersonplacewassurroundedonthreesidesbybig,darkappletrees;andonthefourthitwasboundedbythenarrow,dustycountyroad.Themenhadarrivedindroves,laughingandshoutingtooneanother,andtheyhadfoundpreparationsmadeforthem.Stakesweredrivenintothesoftgrounddefiningthestreetsforthecamp.Therewerefivestreetsrunningparalleltothecountyroad,andoppositetheendofeachstreetadeepholewasduginthegroundasatoilet.

           Beforetheworkofbuildingthecampstarted,theyheldtheirgeneralmeetingwithsomeorder;electedDakinchairmanandassentedtohiscommittee.Theyagreedwithenthusiasmtothesuggestionofthesquads.

           Hardlyhadtheybeguntoassemblewhenfivemotorcyclepolicerodeupandparkedtheirmotorsinthecountyroad.Theyleanedagainstthemachinesandwatchedthework.Tentswerepitched,andshelterslaidout.Thesad-eyedDr.Burtonwaseverywhere,orderingthebuildingofthecamp.Atleastahundredoldautomobileslinedtheroad,drawnuplikecaissonsinanartillerypark,allfacingouttowardtheroad.TherewereancientFords,ravagedintheirupholstery;ChevroletsandDodgeswithrustynoses,paintless,withloosefendersornofendersatall.Therewereworn-outHudsonsthatmadeanoiselikemachine-gunswhentheywerestarting.Theystoodlikeagedsoldiersatareunion.AtoneendofthelineofcarsstoodDakin’sChevrolettruck,cleanandnewandshiny.Aloneofallthecarsitwasingoodcondition;andDakin,ashewalkedaboutthecamp,surroundedbymembersofhiscommittee,rarelygotoutofsightofhistruck.Ashetalkedorlistenedhiscold,secreteyeswentagainandagaintohisshininggreentruck.

           WhenthegreyoldtentswerepitchedBurtoninsistedthatthecanvasbescrubbedwithsoapandwater.