Chapter 17

           Thecarsofthemigrantpeoplecrawledoutofthesideroadsontothegreatcross-countryhighway,andtheytookthemigrantwaytotheWest.Inthedaylighttheyscuttledlikebugstothewestward;andasthedarkcaughtthem,theyclusteredlikebugsneartoshelterandtowater.Andbecausetheywerelonelyandperplexed,becausetheyhadallcomefromaplaceofsadnessandworryanddefeat,andbecausetheywereallgoingtoanewmysteriousplace,theyhuddledtogether;theytalkedtogether;theysharedtheirlives,theirfood,andthethingstheyhopedforinthenewcountry.Thusitmightbethatonefamilycampednearaspring,andanothercampedforthespringandforcompany,andathirdbecausetwofamilieshadpioneeredtheplaceandfounditgood.Andwhenthesunwentdown,perhapstwentyfamiliesandtwentycarswerethere.

           Intheeveningastrangethinghappened:thetwentyfamiliesbecameonefamily,thechildrenwerethechildrenofall.Thelossofhomebecameoneloss,andthegoldentimeintheWestwasonedream.Anditmightbethatasickchildthrewdespairintotheheartsoftwentyfamilies,ofahundredpeople;thatabirththereinatentkeptahundredpeoplequietandawestruckthroughthenightandfilledahundredpeoplewiththebirth-joyinthemorning.Afamilywhichthenightbeforehadbeenlostandfearfulmightsearchitsgoodstofindapresentforanewbaby.Intheevening,sittingaboutthefires,thetwentywereone.Theygrewtobeunitsofthecamps,unitsoftheeveningsandthenights.