Chapter 22

           ItwaslatewhenTomJoaddrovealongacountryroadlookingfortheWeedpatchcamp.Therewerefewlightsinthecountryside.OnlyaskyglarebehindshowedthedirectionofBakersfield.Thetruckjiggledslowlyalongandhuntingcatslefttheroadaheadofit.Atacrossroadtherewasalittleclusterofwhitewoodenbuildings.

           MawassleepingintheseatandPahadbeensilentandwithdrawnforalongtime.

           Tomsaid,«Idon’knowwheresheis.Maybewe’llwaittilldaylightan’astsomebody.»Hestoppedataboulevardsignalandanothercarstoppedatthecrossing.Tomleanedout.«Hey,mister.Knowwherethebigcampisat?»

           «Straightahead.»

           Tompulledacrossintotheoppositeroad.Afewhundredyards,andthenhestopped.Ahighwirefencefacedtheroad,andawide-gateddrivewayturnedin.Alittlewayinsidethegatetherewasasmallhousewithalightinthewindow.Tomturnedin.Thewholetruckleapedintotheairandcrasheddownagain.

           «Jesus!»Tomsaid.«Ididn’evenseethathump.»

           Awatchmanstoodupfromtheporchandwalkedtothecar.Heleanedontheside.«Youhithertoofast,"hesaid.«Nexttimeyou’lltakeiteasy.»

           «Whatisit,forGod’ssake?»

           Thewatchmanlaughed.«Well,alotofkidsplayinhere.Youtellfolkstogoslowandthey’reliabletoforget.Butlet’emhitthathumponceandtheydon’tforget.»

           «Oh!Yeah.HopeIdidn’breaknothin’.Say—yougotanyroomhereforus?»

           «Gotonecamp.Howmanyofyou?»

           Tomcountedonhisfingers.