Jaybird and Phil sat in the shade of a wide spreading chestnut tree on the edge of Grubville off to the side of the gravel Ware road. Jaybird's dog Rin sat beside them. Jaybird had not recovered from the humiliation dumped on him by Ruth Stoltzfus. "How could she do that, Phil?" he asked.
Phil shrugged. "Ah don't know, Jaybird."
"First she wants to marry me, and the next time I see her she acts like I'm some kind of freak. What happened, Phil?"
"Ah don't know, Jaybird."
"Have you ever been married, Phil?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"Ah don't know, Jaybird."
"Doc Land thinks I should go back to Cottage Farm."
Phil nodded. "Ah know," he said.
"What are you goin' to do, Phil?"
"Ahm thinkin' maybe ah'll go watch them Brownies, they fixin' to play a couple of doubleheaders."
Jaybird felt a thrill. Outside of playing, there was nothing he liked more than watching a baseball game. His dad had taken him to Sportsman's Park in St. Louis last year when he was nine years-old, to watch a game between the Giants and the Cardinals. When Phil mentioned the Brownies, Jaybird knew immediately what he was talking about; the Brownies were the St. Louis American League team. People called them the Brownies to show that they really liked them. If they didn't like the team or were diehard Cardinal fans they called them by their official name ... the Browns. "Can I go with you?" he asked.
"Ah don't see why not," said Phil. He stood up and looked at Jaybird. "But you know what, Jaybird? It probably ain't a good idea for you to head for St. Looie without any shoes on them there feet."
Jaybird looked at his feet, then at Phil. "I can get some shoes back there at King's Store," he said.
Phil nodded. "You could," he agreed, "if you could figure out some way to pay for `em. You got any money, Jaybird?"
Jaybird shook his head. "No, but them shoes is right out there where anybody could take `em, I seen `em when I was walkin' around in there."
It was Phil's turn to shake his head. "Wait a minute, Jaybird," he said, "Ah do recollect that the first thing ah learned about you is that you is a thief. Remember them cigarettes you stole from your Grampa's store?"
Jaybird protested. "I didn't steal them cigs, I borrowed them."
"What about them spectacles you wearin', Jaybird, did you borrow them from King's Store?"
It had not occurred to Jaybird until Phil mentioned it that he had walked out of King's Store wearing the spectacles. He became flustered. "...I ... I didn't steal them. I just forgot I was wearin' them."
Phil nodded. "Ah got somethin' to tell you Jaybird," he said. "People call me crazy, and ah couldn't rightly say if that's so or not, but there's somethin' ah learned when ah was about your age, and that ah never forgot. It's this ... You cain't take somethin' from King's Store without payin' for it. That's the number one rule, Jaybird, you get somethin' you want, you got to pay for it. You could otherwise be put in jail ... and then there's that there commandment ... thou shouldn't steal."
"But what if you don't have any money?" asked Jaybird. "Then you have to work," said Phil.
"You got any money, Phil?" asked Jaybird.
Phil smiled mysteriously. "Whadda you think, Jaybird?"
Jaybird didn't know what to think, but it occurred to him that if Phil had money, maybe he would buy him a pair of shoes. "Would you buy me a pair of shoes, Phil?" he asked.
Maybe there was something in Jaybird's voice, or in the way the words came out. Maybe it was the way Jaybird looked at him, or maybe it was just the pathetic way that Jaybird appeared standing before him. Whatever it was, Phil felt a wave of protective sympathy sweep over him; tears welled in his eyes. He put his arm around Jaybird's shoulder. "Come on Jaybird," he said, "let's go get you some shoes."
Back at Eb King's General Store, Jaybird picked out a pair of sturdy leather high-topped shoes. As he was trying them on Phil came around the corner of the aisle with a pair of navy blue cotton pants in one hand and a plain sky-blue shirt in the other. "Ah figured maybe you ought to have some proper clothes to go along with them there shoes," he said, "... if we're goin' to the city." He handed the shirt and pants to Jaybird.
Jaybird donned the new clothes and stood for Phil's inspection. "Whadda you think?" he asked.
Phil looked at Jaybird standing expectantly before him.. Something was missing. He walked slowly around him scratching his chin as he went. When he arrived back in front he said, "Wait here." Shortly he returned carrying a pair of suspenders and a wide brimmed yellow straw hat.
When they stood at the counter in front of the store owner preparing to pay for the new clothes, Jaybird looked like a carbon copy of any of a dozen young Amish boys walking along the street in Grubville. Phil looked at him proudly. "Now don't he look just fine, Mr. King?" he asked.
King agreed. "He sure does, Crazy Dan," he said, " now you goin' to tell me who he is and where he came from?"
Phil grinned. "He's Jaybird," he said, and clapped Jaybird on the back. "He's my brother."
"You don't say," said King. Crazy Dan he thought. "Who's goin' to pay for these clothes Crazy Dan?"
"Ah am," said Phil, "shirt, pants, shoes, suspenders and hat ...how much do ah owe you?"
King wrote on a pad of paper in front of him on the counter. "That'll be five dollars and 25 cents," he said.
Phil took a wrinkled ten dollar bill from his pocket and handed it to the store owner.
King made change. "There you are Crazy Dan," he said, "thanks for your business."
Phil tipped his hat and turned to leave with Jaybird when he heard King say, "Oh, by the way, Crazy Dan, I think Doc Land wants to see you and Jaybird ... seemed important."
Dr. Land was surprised, pleased, and relieved to see Crazy Dan and Jaybird standing in front of his door. He had to comment on Jaybird's new appearance. "My goodness, Jaybird, don't you look fine. Come on in here, let me get a better look at you."
Jaybird puffed out his chest; he felt like a million. "Phil says I need to be dressed proper if I'm goin' to the city." He extended his leg and hitched up the pants. "Look here," he said, "new shoes too."
Dr. Land was concerned. "Goin' to the city?" he asked.
Phil spoke up. "That there train headin' for St. Looie is comin' through in about a hour, we fixin't to be on it when it leaves here."
Now Dr. Land was alarmed. "But you can't do that," he said.
"Sure we can," said Phil, "ah done it lots of times, they ain't hardly nothin' to it at all."
"I mean Jaybird can't do it," said Dr. Land. "His parents are coming from Cottage Farm. I spoke with them on the telephone no more than 20 minutes ago. They're coming to take you home, Jaybird."
Jaybird looked surprised. "My mom and dad are coming here? How do they know where I am?"
"I talked to them, Jaybird ... on the telephone ... they're coming."
Jaybird shook his head in wonder. He looked at Phil. He had to decide. Should he go with Phil to the baseball game or should he wait and go back to Cottage Farm with his mom and dad. He looked at Dr. Land. "Was my dad mad?" he asked.
Dr. Land shrugged. "He didn't seem too happy," he admitted.
"Did you tell him about my finger?"
Dr. Land shook his head. "No," he said.
Jaybird knew he was in for a hide tanning no matter what. He also did not look forward to facing his mom minus a finger. It could wait. "Come on, Phil," he said, "let's go catch that train."
Dr. Land was startled. "You can't do that, Jaybird," he said.
But Jaybird was already on his way out the door with Phil and Rin right behind him. "Tell `em I'm goin' to see the Brownies at Sportsman's Park. My dad knows where that is. Tell `em not to worry, I'll be back."
"Wait," called Dr. Land, but they were gone. He stood outside the door fretting. What should he do? There was no point in calling Cottage Farm again, Jaybird's mom and dad were already on their way to Grubville. There was no law enforcement officer in Grubville, the County Sheriff's office was in DeSoto more than 20 miles away, and besides, as near as he could tell nobody was breaking any laws. Crazy Dan could go wherever he wanted, and as for Jaybird, what was wrong with going to St. Louis for a baseball game? He wouldn't mind going himself. He sat down, lighted a cigar, and picked up a magazine.
Jaybird had never been on a train before, and he certainly had never been inside a cattle car. That was about to change. As they crossed the siding tracks approaching the train Jaybird asked, "Can Rin go with us, Phil?"
Phil did not even hesitate. "Ah don't see why not. Does he like baseball?"
Jaybird had played ball often with Rin. "He likes to chase balls," he said.