seat beside her Look Benny there’s a stream Benny brightened I like water he said He slid over the seat jumping out on the driver’s side He had been sitting between Hallie and Tom Careful Benny Hallie called She watched her little brother run toward the water Don’t worry It looks like there’s not but a trickle of water in it Tom told her That’s good You know how he is with water He could drown in a tin cup Hallie opened the passenger door of the Tin Lizzie and got out She looked around It was indeed a pretty spot the trees the stream and a patch of yellow dandelions nodding in the sun She stretched and dug her bare toes into the dirt She shook her dress which was covered with dust that had blown in through the open window The car too was covered with grime The whole world except for this little spot seemed to be dirty When the dust had gotten too bad Hallie had rolled up the car windows and stuffed rags where they didn’t quite close That didn’t stop the dirt from blowing in She had to wipe the inside of the car clean every night I guess if the car’s broke down 2 SOMEPLACE to CALL HOME
Chapter One we’ll be staying for a spell she said She grasped the handle of the door to close it and quickly removed her hand She should have known better than to touch the metal It was burning hot from the sun We don’t have much choice I can patch the tire again Tom glanced at the tire that seemed to be more patches than tire But we’ll have to replace the transmission How much money do we have left Four dollars and twelve cents Hallie didn’t have to look into the ragged coin purse She knew to the penny how much was in it Not enough for the transmission I’ll have to find work Hallie laughed Where are you going to do that We’ve tried everywhere Not more than two days work in the field in the past two weeks If we hadn’t found those tomatoes last week we’d be eating grass She thought of the deserted house they’d stopped at with three perfectly good tomato plants loaded with fruit She shook her head at the wonder of it They guessed the farmer had been dusted out That’s what folks said when the dust storms destroyed crops forcing farmers to desert their homes Somehow the tomato plants had thrived They were 3
all tired of tomatoes by now but they were grateful for them nonetheless That was good luck all right Maybe our luck’s changed I wouldn’t call a busted transmission good luck Hallie told her brother I guess you’re right about that Tom went back to the Ford I’d best unload this old Tin Lizzie You look after Benny Tom stood next to the open lid of the car’s rumble seat He began taking out boxes containing quilts and blankets a tarp a collection of pots and pans and a few dishes Where should I put these Hallie looked about Then she pointed to a secluded spot hidden by trees We don’t want anyone seeing us from the road she said Of course anybody driving by would notice the car Maybe they’d think it was abandoned The flivver was that old and dilapidated Tom had had to remove the leather bench in the rumble seat to make room for their belongings to Benny’s disappointment He had loved to ride in the back in the open air Now Tom spread the tarp on the ground Next he removed two thin mattresses tied to the roof of the car and laid them on top of the tarp 4 SOMEPLACE to CALL HOME
Chapter One Hallie watched him then turned back to Benny The six-year-old was sitting beside the stream Every now and then he stuck his foot into the water then pulled it back and laughed I’m wet he said Hallie went to the creek and tickled his toes She thought what a happy good-natured boy he was I like water Hallie he said again Hallie scooped up a handful of water and sprinkled it on Benny’s head He giggled That will cool you off she said She splashed water over her arms and legs too Despite the shade of the trees she was hot It seemed it was always hot in Kansas In Oklahoma too She couldn’t remember the last time it had rained I want my boat Benny said The boat was his favorite toy Hallie went to a box that Tom had set down She rummaged through it until she found a battered wooden boat Tom had carved it and painted it too The paint was mostly worn off now You play with it while I help Tom she told Benny She stretched to get the kinks out of her back Hallie wasn’t just hot She was tired from riding for days down 5
