Summary

Section 17. July’s mother gathers grass to thatch the roof of the house the Smales’ have taken from her. Maureen does not understand the old woman’s displeasure and comments toward her or why she wants her gone. White people are trouble according to July’s mother. July’s wife asks him why he took the white people to visit the chief.

July says he will take her back to town with him when the fighting stops. She wants nothing to do with town. She suggests they buy more land and July set up a shop here and sells supplies now that he can drive.

Section 18. A man comes to the village with a box that plays music—a gumba-gumba. The children recognize it from back in Johannesburg. The adults pass around the beer and listen to the music play. The Smales go back to...