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171. CONTINUED   171.

NATHAN LEE
Yeah. I feel real up to it right now. Come on, David Lee, you and me'll do the loading.

Rebecca and the other children start in with the picking, but Rebecca watches Nathan with concern as he, David Lee and Sounder move through the field -- finally, she returns her full attention to the work --

NATHAN LEE (CONT'D)
I'm real proud of how you helped your mama keep this place goin', David Lee.

DAVID LEE
Thank you, Daddy...

They come to a group of corn-filled sacks alongside the wagon and stop.

NATHAN LEE
I'll lift up the back end, and you just hold on to the front end for me.

He lifts up the back end of the sack - David Lee takes hold of the front, tied end, and they struggle to get it up on the wagon, with Nathan grunting and groaning. The same thing happens with the second sack --

NATHAN LEE (CONT'D)
Wheeew! This is some hard work, but it beats goin' to jail.

DAVID LEE
You won't be goin' to jail again, will you, Daddy?

NATHAN LEE
No, son -- they'd have to kill me before I'd let 'em do that to me again!

He realizes he has said the wrong thing from the worried look on the boy's face.

NATHAN LEE (CONT'D)
Nobody's goin' to jail, and nobody's gittin' hurt. Come on, let's get this one up on the wagon.

CONTINUED