Jim and his younger brother, Daniel, wake up one morning, excited for their upcoming trip to see their father. They haven’t seen their father in a long time, so they scavenge out in the swamp near their Florida home to try to bring him fruits to make him happy. Their mother tells them to stop. The family, along with Uncle Holly, gets settled in a carriage and they drive off to see Jim and Daniel’s father. Jim’s mother warns him that he will likely not recognize his father because it’s been so long; he shouldn’t get his expectations up. When they arrive, Jim and Daniel speak to their father, a withered-looking, clearly sick man. They depart, and Daniel is excited that their father has given them a watch and chain, but Jim knows that his father will die soon. He’s quiet.