3: SHUCKING OYSTERS

This picnic way of living had one advantage; it made moving easy.
One day the Beechams were picking; the next day they had joined
with two other families and hired a truck to take them and their
belongings to Oystershell, on the inlet of the bay near by.

Pauline Isabel's family were going to a Negro oystershucking
village almost in sight of Oystershell. "It's sure nice there!"
Pauline assured them happily. "I belong to a girls' club that
meets every day after school; in the Meth'dis' church. We got a
sure good school, too, good as any white school, up the road a
piece."

The Beechams said good-by to Pauline's family, who had become
their friends. Then they said good-by to Miss Abbott. That was
hard for Jimmie. He butted his shaven little head against Her
and then limped away as fast as he could.

The ride to Oystershell was exciting. Autumn had changed the
look of the land. "God has taken all the red and yellow he's
got, and just splashed it on in gobs," said Rose-Ellen as they
traveled toward the seashore.

"What I like," Dick broke in, "is to see the men getting in the
salt hay with their horses on sleds."