Chapter 11, "At the Crossroads Store" Summary

Granma continues the lessons Little Tree learned from the calf scam by making him write how much he spent and lost on paper, going from fifty cents to ten. Little Tree resolves to keep the dime, or any future coins in his fruit jar, instead of carrying them in his pocket. On his next whisky run, he gets a dime for his share; and Granpa ups it a nickel, making his savings go up to twenty five cents. Little Tree continues to learn five new words a week, which he practices on his way to the crossroads store. Granpa often knocks words off the list, saying they are confusing or unnecessary. He believes that's how politicians get away with things, using slick language with words that discolor their meaning.

The crossroads store is often busy...