Summary

Patrick dies of yellow fever in Chapter 12. Simon writes to Doris to inform her of Patrick’s death and tells her that Patrick wanted him to give her a medallion of Our Lady as a keepsake. He informs her that the band is leaving for Houston. That night, Simon, Damon, and Doroteo sneak onto a train.

The group arrives at Houston in Chapter 13. They spend their first night sleeping on the street before finding an abandoned flatboat the next morning to live on. They cannot find work as musicians anywhere on account of their poor appearance. Each of the men work whatever jobs they can find. Simon’s job is to shovel coal on a boat. One day, Simon receives a letter back from Doris. She laments Patrick’s death and writes a bit about her own day-to-day life. Simon senses that she...