Ragged tents
huddled behind the shacks, using the same back wall. Mattresses
that looked as if they came from the dump lay on the ground with
tarpaulins stretched above them as roofs, and these were the only
homes of whole families who lived and slept and ate in swarms of
stinging flies.
One of the few pleasant things was the Christian Center not very
far away. Every morning its car chugged up to the jungle and
carried off a load of children. Jimmie and Sally were always in
the load. The back seat was crowded, and a helper sat in front
with the driver and held Sally, while Jimmie sat between. He
liked to sit there, for the driver looked like Her! Only short
instead of tall, and plump instead of thin, and with curly dark
hair, but with the same kind smile.
Here in California the other children were supposed to pick only
outside school hours; but the school was too far from the camp
and there was no bus. So Dick and Rose-Ellen picked peas all day
with their elders.
"The more we earn," Dick said soberly, "the sooner we can get
away from this place."
"The only trouble is," Rose-Ellen answered, "we get such an
appetite that we eat more than we earn, except when we're sick."
The sun blistered Dick's fair skin until he was ill from the
burn; and Rose-Ellen sometimes grew so sick and dizzy with the
heat that she had to crawl into her pea hamper for shade instead
of picking.
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