For two days, the Wilsons and the Joads are in flight across the Panhandle, leaving Oklahoma and crossing Texas. Eventually, they became accustomed to their traveling way of life. As they drive through New Mexico, Rosasharn tells her mother about her and Connie's plans once they reach California. They want to live in town, with Connie taking correspondence courses and getting a job in a factory or store. Ma voices her concern that she doesn't want the family to split up, but realizes that it is just a dream.
A rattle in the engine causes Al to pull the car over and discover a broken connecting rod bearing. They anticipate a time-consuming repair, and Tom suggests the family go ahead to California to find work. He and Casy will stay behind, fix the car, and then catch-up with the others in California. The others reluctantly agree with the plan, but Ma refuses to leave. She picks up a jack handle and says she will beat anyone who makes her split up the family. Faced with her immovability, the others give in.
Al takes the family up the road to a camp, while Tom and Casy remove the connecting rod. Tom and Al find a junkyard and retrieve a matching con-rod from a wrecked car. They are able to get the car fixed that night and meet up with the family at the camp. The roadside camp charges a 50-cent fee to spend the night. Tom refuses to pay, preferring to sleep outside on the road. He parks the car outside the gate and walks in to talk to his family. Pa is sharing the family hope for work in California with a group of men when a stranger emerges from the shadows to tell his own sad story. Unable to find work in California, the stranger's wife and two children had starved to death. Pa is worried and asks the preacher if that is the truth. Casy answers that it's the truth for him, but he doesn't know what the truth for the Joads will be. Tom and Casy speak briefly with Ma and plan to meet up later in the morning. Tom, Uncle John, and Casy go out to sleep on the road.
