Part 2 Summary (page 134 through page 172)

Elvie arrives in the school bus, having coasted all the way from home. Jack thanks her, and sends her back home, but he cannot get the bus to start. Etoyle, for her part, then arrives riding Bet bareback, laden with trace chains. Using Bet, Jack tries to pull the tree out from behind the car, but a loud bang - a blowout of one of the tires - scares Bet, and with the trace chains snapping in two, the mule sets off for home. At the same time, Elvie appears once more, along with Mr. Renfro. Jack explains the situation to his father, who is intent on removing the tree with a charge of dynamite. The Moodys summarily quash this idea. Mr. Renfro tells Jack it is dinnertime and with that begs his leave.

When the second...