Chapter 5

           Theafternoonsunglancedonthetopsoftheappletreesandthenbrokeintostripesandlayersofslantinglightbeneaththeheavybranches,andthrewblotsofsunshineontheground.Thewideaislesbetweenthetreesstretchedawayuntiltherowsseemedtomeetinavisualinfinity.Thegreatorchardcrawledwithactivity.Longladdersleanedamongthebranchesandpilesofnewyellowboxesstoodintheaisles.Fromfarawaycametherumbleofthesortingmachinesandthetapoftheboxers’hammers.Themen,withtheirbigbucketsslungtobaldrics,ranuptheladdersandtwistedthebiggreenpippinsfreeandfilledthebucketsuntiltheycouldholdnomore,andthentheyrandowntheladderstoemptythebucketsintotheboxes.Betweentherowscamethetruckstoloadthepickedapplesandtakethemtothesortingandpackingplant.Acheckerstoodbesidetheboxesandmarkedwithapencilinhislittlebookasthebucketmencameup.Theorchardwasalive.Thebranchesofthetreesshookundertheladders.Theoverripesdroppedwithdullplopstothegroundunderneaththetrees.Somewhere,hiddeninatree-top,awhistlingvirtuosotrilled.

           Jimhurrieddownhisladderandcarriedhisbuckettotheboxpileandemptiedtheload.Thechecker,ablondyoungmaninwashedwhitecorduroys,madeamarkinhisbookandnoddedhishead."Don’tdump’eminsohard,buddy,"hewarned."You’llbruise’em."

           "O.K.,"saidJim.Hewalkedbacktohisladder,drummingonthebucketwithhiskneeashewent.Uptheladderheclimbed,andhehookedthewireofthebale-hookoveralimb.Andtheninthetreehesawanotherman,whohadsteppedofftheladderandstoodonabiglimb.Hereachedhighoverhisheadforaclusterofapples.HefeltthetreeshudderunderJim’sweightandlookeddown.

           "Hello,kid.Ididn’tknowthiswasyourtree."