The Sweet Singer presents a poem extolling autumn, and Russell and Lloyd work hard before and after school shucking corn. Tansy regains control of school. The only person she must “whup” is Russell (152), for teaching Little Britches an off-color verse. Charlie and Glenn maintain a “truce” (151), and stay away from each other. When Russell, Lloyd, and their dad find Tansy turning the crank of a Victrola, and Eugene Hammond dancing with Aunt Maud, Russell realizes, to his consternation, that Eugene is courting Tansy. On butchering day, Eugene proves that he is not the “city slicker” Russell anticipated when he kills the hog with one shot, expertly bleeds it out, and later removes its head (156). Russell feels “provoked” (159). He does not like the idea of Tansy marrying Eugene.

Tansy grows more “intolerable” as she waits to hear when the County superintendent will examine her and hopefully grant her teaching certificate (161). Russell wishes Eugene had messed up at the hog butchering, and wishes Tansy would pick Charlie as a beau. Russell learns that Glenn no longer lives with his family at Stony Lonesome. Now he stays with Aunt Fanny Hamline, which explains why he appears cleaner.