No Sugar

Joe, Cissie, and David take billy cans that they will use to fill up water bags. As they work, two girls approach: Topsy and Mary. David and Cissie want to go for a swim after they are done with their work, but Joe gives his attention to the girls. He seems especially interested in Mary. Joe learns that Mary and Topsy have the same uncle Herbie as he does, but it turns out that they’re not actually related. Herbie isn’t really married to the woman. The suggestion is that the relationship is purely sexual. The scene ends with Joe and Mary agreeing to meet the next day.

At the Long Pool Camp, the family goes about their chores. This camp doesn’t seem so different from Government Wells. Billy arrives with the Matron, who is in charge of the camp hospital. She is there to do a skin inspection on them all. Mary and Topsy are there as well—they help the Matron at the hospital. 

After a thorough skin inspection, she pronounces them all clean and healthy. They all cooperate, with the exception of some mild resistance from Joe, who does not want Mary to see him examined. The Matron asks them how many dogs they own, they claim to have only have a couple. But when they are out of hearing range, Billy tells the Matron that they have seven dogs in the camp. 

Joe and Mary meet in the pine plantation at night. While they sit in a clearing, they talk and eat together. Mary expresses hatred for the camp, particularly for Mr. Neal, the superintendent. She tells Joe that Mr. Neal makes all of the girls feel uncomfortable. She tells Joe a story about a friend of hers who was forced to leave the camp to work on a farm. While there, she was raped (possibly by the boss’s son) and became pregnant. When she delivered the baby, Mary says it was killed and buried. She starts to cry because she can’t help but think something similar might happen to her. They kiss and say good night. 

Jimmy is outside Mr. Neal’s office. Mr. Neal approaches, obviously hungover. Mr. Neal goes inside, where Mary brings him tea. He leers at her body openly. Matron (who is Mr. Neal’s wife), comes in and almost catches him looking. She scolds him for setting a bad example with his drunkenness, then gives him the health report: of the 89 people who were brought to the camp, only four of them have scabies. She tells him that the only real scabies risk in the camp is the dogs. Mr. Neal calls for Billy and tells him to bring his rifle, some rope, and some horses. They leave.