tfully, as if they, too, were tired out. The family scurried
around putting up the tent and building a fire and drying things
out before the men must go to the grove. Rose-Ellen and Dick and
even Jimmie felt less dismal when they steamed before the washtub
stove and ate something hot.

[Illustration: Putting up the tent]

Grandma and Sally felt less relief. Sally's cheeks were hot and
red, and she turned her head from side to side, crying and
coughing. Grandma was saying, "My land, my land, I'd give five
years of my life to be in my own house with this sick little
mite!" when a smooth gray head thrust aside the tent flap and a
neighborly voice said, "Oh, mercy me!"

Then without waiting for invitation, a crisp gingham dress
followed the gray head in. "Is she bad sick? Have you-all had
the doctor? I'm Mrs. King, from town."

"And you really think we're humans?" Grandma demanded, her cheeks
as red as Sally's. "If you do, you're the first since we struck
this place. You'll have to excuse me," she apologized, as the
children stared at her with astonished eyes. "Seems like we've
lost our manners along with everything else."

"I don't wonder. I don't wonder a bit. Our preacher telephoned
this morning that there was a heap of suffering here in the camp,
or like enough we'd not have ought of it, and us church folks,
too. Now I got my Ford out on the road; you tote the baby and
we'll take her to my doctor."

Mrs. King's doctor gave Sally medicine and told Grandma about
feeding her orange juice and chopped vegetables and eggs as well
as milk. Grandma sighed as she wondered how she would get these
good things for the sick baby. However, Sally did seem to be
somewhat better when they returned. Mrs. King and Grandma were
talking over how to get supplies when the men came back to the
tent.

"Laid off," said Grandpa wearily, not seeing the caller. "Storm's
wrecked the crop so bad he's laying off the newest hired. Says
it's like to ruin him."

Grandma sat still with the baby whining on her lap. "My land of
love," she said, "what will we do now?"

5 CISSY FROM THE ONION MARSHES

"Well, I should think you'd be glad to get clear of this," cried
their visitor. "Florida camps ain't all so bad."

"We've no money to move, ma'am," Grandpa said bluntly. "It took
near all we'd earned to get here, and now no job!"

"This Italian next door says they're advertising for, cotton
pickers in Texas," Daddy