“He’ll find us,” Tom said. “Don’ you worry. He’ll find us.” They walked on either side of the girl.
“Maybe he went to get them books to study up,” said Rose of Sharon. “Maybe he was a-gonna surprise us.”
Ma said, “Maybe that’s jus’ what he done.” They led her to the truck and helped her up on top of the load, and she crawled under the tarpaulin and disappeared into the dark cave.
Now the bearded man from the weed shack came timidly to the truck. He waited about, his hands clutched behind his back. “You gonna leave any stuff a fella could use?” he asked at last.
Pa said, “Can’t think of nothin’. We ain’t got nothin’ to leave.”
Tom asked, “Ain’t ya gettin’ out?”
For a long time the bearded man stared at him. “No,” he said at last.
“But they’ll burn ya out.”
The unsteady eyes dropped to the ground. “I know. They done it before.”
“Well, why the hell don’t ya get out?”