Homecoming Read Online Free

“It’s hotter with socks on.”
    “If we’re going to walk they’ll keep us from getting blisters.”
    “Is that true?” James demanded. “I never had a blister.”
    “Of course, it’s true,” Dicey answered. “Now let me look at the map and think, all
     of you.”
    The little ones explored the little patch of woods while Dicey studied the map. Route
     1 was the road they’d been driving on. They could follow it for a while, then they’d
     have to go on the Turnpike to get over the Thames River, to New London. After that,
     they’d have to switch to a road that followed the coastline, because Route 1 turned
     into the Turnpike for a long while. There was the Connecticut River to cross, then
     Route 1 again, or maybe they could take a coastal road, to New Haven. After New Haven,
     the map showed a yellow patch connecting thecities, all the way down to Bridgeport. That meant heavily populated areas. But Route
     1 ran the whole distance.
    Dicey looked at the map. Maybe two or three days, she judged. They had about seven
     dollars, so they could spend about two dollars a day on food. Half what they’d spent
     on one meal yesterday. But that was okay, because you didn’t starve in two or three
     days. You could get awfully hungry, but you wouldn’t starve.
    “James?” she called. “Maybeth. Sammy. Come here now.”
    They ran up and sat in a circle around the map. Dicey showed them where Bridgeport
     was and about where they were. Then she made her announcement: “We’re going to walk
     down to Bridgeport.” The idea was so factual in her mind that she was unprepared for
     questions.
    “What about Momma?” Sammy asked.
    “I don’t know where she’s got to,” Dicey said.
    “We can wait for her here,” Sammy said. His mouth puckered up.
    “No we can’t,” Dicey said, and she told them about the guard. “Momma will know we
     went on to Aunt Cilla’s,” Dicey said. Sammy’s mouth set in a firm line. “We can’t
     go back,” Dicey said, “and we’ve got to go somewhere.”
    “That’s all right,” James spoke, “but why don’t we take the bus?”
    “Because we don’t have enough money. Each ticket is two forty-five. That makes nine
     dollars and eighty cents all together and we’ve only got seven dollars.”
    “If we hadn’t had supper last night,” James said.
    Dicey had already been over that in her own mind. “But we did,” she cut him off. “So
     it’s no good thinking, if we didn’t. We’re going to have to walk. Maybeth?”
    Maybeth looked up from a pile of stones she was making into a long circle around herself.
     “That’s fine, Dicey,” she said. Noquestions, no worries in her round hazel eyes, just that’s fine. Dicey felt like hugging her.
    “How far is it?” James asked.
    “I don’t know for sure,” Dicey said.
    “How far can we walk in a day?” James asked.
    “There’s only one way to find out, isn’t there?” Dicey asked. Only Sammy didn’t smile
     in return.
    “It’ll be hard,” she added. “We have to carry as little as possible. Just one bag
     for all of us.”
    They sorted through their bags. Sammy refused to speak or help, just sat cross-legged
     with his jaw set, picking at the dirt with his finger. Dicey took out two changes
     of underwear and two clean shirts for each, then she added a pair of extra socks and
     one comb. Toothbrushes they could get at Aunt Cilla’s. There was about half a bag
     full when she was through. It felt light enough in the cool morning, but she knew
     that it would get heavier as the day went on. She inhaled the sun-sweetened air and
     looked around her.
    “I’m not going,” Sammy said. He glared up at Dicey.
    “What’ll you do?” James asked him, perfectly reasonably.
    “Wait here for Momma. Not here exactly, in the car.”
    “Sammy, you’ve got to come with us,” Dicey said. “First we’re going to stash these
     other three bags in the car, then we start walking. So get up.”
    Sammy shook his