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Chapter 26
«Iwanttogetyoucheckeddown,"hesaid.«Howmanyofyougoingtowork?»Tomsaid,«They’sfourmen.Isthisherehardwork?»
«Pickingpeaches,"theclerksaid.«Piecework.Givefivecentsabox.»
«Ain’tnoreasonwhythelittlefellascan’thelp?»
«Surenot,ifthey’recareful.»Mastoodinthedoorway.«Soon’sIgetsettleddownI’llcomeoutan’help.Wegotnothin’toeat,mister.Dowegetpaidrightoff?»
«Well,no,notmoneyrightoff.Butyoucangetcreditatthestoreforwhatyougotcoming.»
«Comeon,let’shurry,"Tomsaid.«Iwanttagetsomemeatan’breadinmetonight.Wheredowego,mister?»
«I’mgoingouttherenow.Comewithme.»TomandPaandAlandUncleJohnwalkedwithhimdownthedustystreetandintotheorchard,inamongthepeachtrees.Thenarrowleaveswerebeginningtoturnapaleyellow.Thepeacheswerelittleglobesofgoldandredonthebranches.Amongthetreeswerepilesofemptyboxes.Thepickersscurriedabout,fillingtheirbucketsfromthebranches,puttingthepeachesintheboxes,carryingtheboxestothecheckingstation;andatthestations,wherethepilesoffilledboxeswaitedforthetrucks,clerkswaitedtocheckagainstthenamesofthepickers.
«Here’sfourmore,"theguidesaidtoaclerk.«O.K.Everpickedbefore?»
«Neverdid,"saidTom.«Well,pickcareful.Nobruisedfruit,nowindfalls.Bruiseyourfruitan’wewon’tcheck’em.There’ssomebuckets.»Tompickedupathree-gallonbucketandlookedatit.«Fullaholesonthebottom.»
