Mack asked, “How is it out at the main gate—hear anything?”
“Well, they was out there yellin’ all day. State police got it in hand. They’re runnin’ the hell outa them smart guys. I heard they’s a long lean son-of-a-bitch spark-pluggin’ the thing. Fella says they’ll get him tonight, an’ then she’ll go to pieces.”
“We won’t have no job if it comes too easy,” Mack said.
“We’ll have a job, all right. These goddamn Okies! You got to watch ’em all the time. Things get a little quiet, we can always stir ’em up a little.”
“Have trouble when they cut the rate here, I guess.”
“We sure will. No, you needn’ worry about us havin’ work—not while Hooper’s snubbin’ close.”
The fire roared in the Joad house. Hamburger patties splashed and hissed in the grease, and the potatoes bubbled. The house was full of smoke, and the yellow lantern light threw heavy black shadows on the walls. Ma worked quickly about the fire while Rose of Sharon sat on a box resting her heavy abdomen on her knees.
“Feelin’ better now?” Ma asked.
“Smell a cookin’ gets me. I’m hungry, too.”
“Go set in the door,” Ma said. “I got to have that box to break up anyways.”