Answer:After a long day at work, Dave, now seventeen, walks across the fields toward home, reflecting on a disagreement he had with other workers earlier. He dreams of owning a gun one day to earn respect and show others that he has matured. He decides to visit the local store to look over the guns listed in a mail-order catalog, hoping his mother will permit him to purchase a pistol with his earnings from working in Mr. Hawkins's fields.
As he enters the store, his confidence wavers upon seeing Joe, the shopkeeper, yet he persuades Joe to lend him the catalog for the night. Joe is taken aback by Dave's gun-buying intentions, knowing that Dave's mother saves his summer wages, but he still offers to sell Dave an old pistol for $2. Intrigued, Dave promises to return for it later.
Once home, Mrs. Saunders reprimands Dave for being tardy. When he heads out to wash his hands, she spots the catalog and takes it, only returning it after Dave explains he must give it back the next day. At dinner, Dave's mind is fixed on the catalog, barely eating or acknowledging the arrival of his father and younger brother. While admiring the revolvers, he forces down his meal, understanding he should ask his mother for the money instead of his father.
After supper, Dave gathers the courage to bring the subject up, first inquiring if Mr. Hawkins has paid her for his work. Mrs. Saunders replies that the money is strictly for his school clothing and outright rejects the notion of purchasing a gun. Dave argues that the family could use a gun and promises to give it to his father. Still skeptical, Mrs. Saunders eventually gives Dave the $2, stipulating he must bring her the gun right after his purchase.
After acquiring the pistol, Dave begins to wander the fields with it, admiring the weapon but feeling intimidated and uncertain about firing it. Waiting until nightfall to ensure everyone is asleep, he stashes the gun underneath his pillow instead of handing it over to his mother as promised. In the middle of the night, Mrs. Saunders quietly requests the gun, but Dave claims he hid it outside and will present it to her in the morning.
Upon waking, Dave retrieves the gun, reflecting on the power it represents. He quietly rises from bed and ties the pistol to his leg using an old piece of flannel. He then sets out to work in the fields, where he unexpectedly encounters Mr. Hawkins. Caught off guard, but intent on keeping his secret, Dave explains he wants to get a jump on the day’s tasks. He connects the plow to a mule named Jenny and makes his way to the farthest field to shoot the pistol without drawing attention.
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