Part 2: Chapter 3 Summary and Analysis

The destination is the northernmost county of Maine, where Canadians migrate over the border every season to pick up potatoes in the fields and put them into barrels. Trucks then take the barrels away to storage. The Canadians have a French heritage and move together in family units. Steinbeck camps near one of the families. He lets out Charley as an emissary of good will. He then follows the dog down to the camp and meets the family.

The spokesman for the family treats Steinbeck cordially and politely. He shows interest in Charley and the dog's training in France. Steinbeck invites the whole family to his camper truck, as they are interested in such things. Some of the Canadians use similar rigs to camp near the potato fields. Others such as this family use large canvas tents.

The adults...