Johnny sneaks out to watch the steam engine on the Birmingham train take on water, and the twins see each other. Johnny is mistreated by Aunt Min and helped by Sara who lets him know that he has a twin.
Having been threatened by Bobby Scagg, Linc and Johnny worry about what Scagg will do. Johnny starts to teach Linc to read. Bobby Scagg comes in the night to burn down Linc’s little house. Johnny and Linc plan to contact Mr. Webb, Linc’s employ
Will kill’s a rattlesnake and, by mistake, scares Jenny May with it. Then he finds his mother, Ali Jennison, crying and learns about a sadness in her past.
After discovering an attempted break in at the Webb plantation, where Linc is the caretaker, Linc and Johnny spend the night at the plantation and have a confrontation with Bobby Scagg.
We see Johnny’s life in the swamp and Linc shows him Lost Lake. Linc has a nightmare about his father being killed and tells Johnny about his past. This brings the two of them closer.