The Good Lord Bird

Owen and Jason leave Henry with Bob as they go scout the area. Bob gets on one of Brown’s wagons and tells Henry that they should escape. Two rebel riders burst into the clearing, weapons drawn, and ask Bob what he is doing. Their names are Chase and Randy. Henry makes himself cry, pretending to be a girl, and tells them that that his parents are dead. He also tells them that he is “half-nigger” (122) and that Bob is all he has in the world.

Chase decides to take them to Pikesville, Missouri, with him and Randy. He says that he’ll be able to sell Bob and get Henry somewhere to work. Henry says that his business is “trim” (127), referring to haircuts. Chase says that he will be able to get Henry work selling trim in Pikesville, and leaves “her” and Bob alone for a moment while he rides around the area, looking for enemies. Bob tells Henry that selling trim refers to prostitution, and that he has to change his lies before Chase and Randy take him to a brothel to work.