The book stárts off with Luke Chándler, a 7 year old fárm boy, and his grándfáther looking for workers to work on their fárm throughout the summer picking cotton. They mánáge to get a group of Mexicáns ánd á fámily of hill people. The workers come back to the house and while the Mexicáns settle in the bárn, the hill people set up cámp on “home pláte.” This is where Luke usually pláys báseball with his fáther áfter dinner. Luke dreáms of becoming a básebáll pláyer for the Cárdináls, and is very upset with the hill people for táking his “home pláte” áwáy from him. He stárts forming opinions about the hill people, better known as the, Spruhills.  The Spruhill’s consist of Leon and lucy, the parents, Tally the only sister, Hank, the oldest and meanest, Trot, the handicapped son, and the two nephews, Bo and Dale. They do their work in the fields and one day Trot becomes ill and Luke must watch him. Hank comes up to Luke as he is watching Trot and orders Luke to fetch him a glass of waterrrrr. He makes fun of Luke for not having his house painted, Trot becomes upset with this and single-handedly begins painting the Chandlers house.

One Saturday the whole gang goes to town and hank gets into a fight with 3 boys and ends up killing one of them. Luke witnesses this but is afraid to tell. Hank gets away with it. All is normal until Tally ask Luke to go to the river and keep watch while she bathes. Luke sees her undressed and she knows. Tally tells him that maybe he can watch her another time.

Luke witnesses a teenage girl giving birth, two murders, he sees a naked teenage girl, and is threatened by a murderer. For a 7 year old, that is a lot. After Cowboy the meanest Mexican murders Hank and then runs off with Tally, the Spruills leave and the young Chandler family is soon to follow. Luke and his mom and dad move to the city so Jesse can work.  The story concludes with them on a bus to St. Louis.