It is autumn and time to harvest the corn, traditionally a cause for celebration. Brodas holds a “cornhusking bee” on his plantation, and his neighbor friends send slaves to help mound and husk the corn. The slaves sing together as they mound the crop into a huge pile and begin to race to see who can husk the most corn. As Harriet husks the corn, she notices that the overseer observes another enslaved young man visiting from neighbor Barrett’s plantation. She feels that the overseer is suspicious of him because he works slowly and quietly.

Harriet sees the other slave begin to leave the cornhusking, and the overseer pursues him. Harriet knows the slave is in danger and follows them both. When the overseer corners the store's young man, he escapes, and Harriet blocks the overseer’s path from pursuing him. The overseer attempts to throw a weight at the escaping slave but instead hits Harriet, who receives a large wound to her forehead and is knocked unconscious. The enslaved people on the Brodas plantation are concerned that Harriet will not survive her traumatic head injury, but Old Rit again nurses her back to health over a few months. Old Rit is worried that Brodas will sell Harriet to the “chain gang” because she behaved in a rebellious manner.