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Lonnie went to the bed and drew the covers back over her and pushed her back into place.

“You try to get some sleep, Hatty,” he said; “you can’t stay awake the whole night. I’ll go bring Pa back.”

He left Hatty, blowing out the lamp, and stumbled through the dark hall, feeling his way to the front porch by touching the wall with his hands. When he got to the porch, he could still barely see any distance ahead, but his eyes were becoming more accustomed to the darkness. He waited a minute, listening.

Feeling his way down the steps into the yard, he walked around the corner of the house and stopped to listen again before calling his father.

“Oh, Pa!” he said loudly.”Oh, Pa!”

He stopped under the bedroom window when he realized what he had been doing.

“Now that’s a fool thing for me to be out here doing,” he said, scolding himself.”Pa couldn’t hear it thunder.”

He heard a rustling of the bed.

“He’s been gone long enough to get clear to the crossroads, or more,” Hatty said, calling through the window.

“Now you lay down and try to get a little sleep, Hatty,” Lonnie told her.”I’ll bring him back in no time.”

He could hear Nancy scratching fleas under the house, but he knew she was in no condition to help look for Mark. It would be several days before she recovered from the shock of losing her tail.

“He’s been gone a long time,” Hatty said, unable to keep still.

“That don’t make no difference,” Lonnie said.”I’ll find him sooner or later. Now you go on to sleep like I told you, Hatty.”

Lonnie walked towards the barn, listening for some sound. Over at the big house he could hear the hogs grunting and squealing, and he wished they would be quiet so he could hear other sounds. Arch Gunnard’s dogs were howling occasionally, but they were not making any more noise than they usually did at night, and he was accustomed to their howling.

Lonnie went to the barn, looking inside and out. After walking around the barn, he went into the field as far as the cotton shed. He knew it was useless, but he could not keep from calling his father time after time.

“Oh, Pa!” he said, trying to penetrate the darkness. He went further into the field.

“Now, what in the world could have become of Pa?” he said, stopping and wondering where to look next.

After he had gone back to the front yard, he began to feel uneasy for the first time. Mark had not acted any more strangely during the past week than he ordinarily did, but Lonnie knew he was upset over the way Arch Gunnard was giving out short-rations. Mark had even said that, at the rate they were being fed, all of them would starve to death inside another three months.

Lonnie left the yard and went down the road towards the Negro cabins. When he got to Clem’s house, he turned in and walked up the path to the door. He knocked several times and waited. There was no answer, and he rapped louder.

“Who’s that?” he heard Clem say from bed.

“It’s me,” Lonnie said.”I’ve got to see you a minute, Clem. I’m out in the front yard.”

He sat down and waited for Clem to dress and come outside. While he waited, he strained his ears to catch any sound that might be in the air. Over the fields towards the big house he could hear the fattening hogs grunt and squeal.

Clem came out and shut the door. He stood on the doorsill a moment speaking to his wife in bed, telling her he would be back and not to worry.

“Who’s that?” Clem said, coming down into the yard.

Lonnie got up and met Clem half-way.

“What’s the trouble?” Clem asked then, buttoning up his overall jumper.

“Pa’s not in his bed,” Lonnie said, “and Hatty says he’s been gone from the house most all night. I went out in the field, and all around the barn, but I couldn’t find a trace of him anywhere.”

Clem then finished buttoning his jumper and began rolling a cigarette. He walked slowly down the path to the road. It was still dark, and it would be at least an hour before dawn made it any lighter.