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Chapter 26
«Whatyawant?»Aldemanded.Masaid,«Wegottofiggerwhattodo.Maybewebetterkeeponthebackroads.Tomsaysso.»
«It’smyface,"Tomadded.«Anybody’dknow.Anycop’dknowme.»
«Well,whichwayyouwantago?Ifiggerednorth.Webeensouth.»
«Yeah,"saidTom,«butkeeponbackroads.»Alasked,«How’boutpullin’offan’catchin’somesleep,goin’ontomorra?»Masaidquickly.«Notyet.Le’sgetsomedistancefust.»
«O.K.»Algotbackinhisseatanddroveon.RuthieandWinfieldcovereduptheirheadsagain.Macalled,«IsWinfiel’allright?»
«Sure,he’sawright,"Ruthiesaid.«Hebeensleepin’.»Maleanedbackagainstthetruckside.«Givesyaafunnyfeelin’tobehuntedlike.I’mgittin’mean.»
«Ever’body’sgittin’mean,"saidPa.«Ever’body.Youseenthatfighttoday.Fellachanges.Downthatgov’mentcampwewasn’mean.»
Alturnedrightonagraveledroad,andtheyellowlightsshudderedovertheground.Thefruittreesweregonenow,andcottonplantstooktheirplace.Theydroveonfortwentymilesthroughthecotton,turning,anglingonthecountryroads.Theroadparalleledabushycreekandturnedoveraconcretebridgeandfollowedthestreamontheotherside.Andthen,ontheedgeofthecreekthelightsshowedalonglineofredboxcars,wheelless;andabigsignontheedgeoftheroadsaid,«CottonPickerswanted.»Alsloweddown.Tompeeredbetweentheside-barsofthetruck.AquarterofamilepasttheboxcarsTomhammeredonthecaragain.
