Essie Slater is worried about her family’s cow, who wanders off. Essie worries that if the cow reaches the neighbors’ orange tree and eats them, there will be trouble between her family and the neighbors. Essie’s father scoffs at this fear.

Birdie Boyer admires the natural beauty around her new home. Her mother is pleasantly surprised when their neighbors, the Slater family, call on them to borrow some sugar. Mrs. Boyer welcomes Mrs. Slater and her younger children into the house. The Boyers have recently moved to southern Florida, first from Carolina, and then from Munroe County in northern Florida, where Birdie was born. She explains the Boyers plan to plant orange trees and raise cattle for profit. Mrs. Slater dismisses these plans; she informs Mrs. Boyer that nothing grows well enough in Florida to sell. Birdie notices that Mrs. Slater’s daughters, Zephy and Essie, are dirty and uncombed. She takes them outside to brush their hair and wash their faces. Their brother Jefferson Davis introduces himself as Shoestring.

Mrs. Boyer’s belongings, such as her plates and tablecloth, impress and offend Mrs. Slater, who declares, “Guess we know now how biggety you folks is, without seein’ nothin’ more” (12).