Eastham Middle’s gym teacher, Coach Swieteck, takes a liking to Joseph because he has impressive athletic skills. Coach has no legs due to a war injury, but he and Joseph share a competitive spirit. The school’s math teacher, Mr. D’Ulney, also begins to think fondly of Joseph; when Jack and Joseph are bored during their daily Office Duty period, Mr. D’Ulney brings Joseph difficult math theorems to prove. Mr. Canton asks the teacher to stop distracting the boys from their office work, and after this exchange, Joseph starts eating lunch with Mr. D’Ulney.

Joseph’s father, Mr. Brook, arrives unannounced at the Hurd farm. His presence upsets the cows. Mr. Brook is upset that Mr. Hurd has Joseph doing chores. Mr. Hurd asks Mr. Brook to leave several times, and Mr. Brook leaves before the confrontation turns physical.

As the winter weather turns colder, Joseph and Jack fall into a new routine, and Joseph milks Rosie every day. The boys continue to walk to school. When the Alliance River freezes over, Joseph decides to walk out onto the ice. Jack pleads with him to come back to the bank, but Joseph steps closer to the unsolid middle.