Sarah, Plain and Tall Chapter 8 Summary

  • One day, Sarah goes out to the barn and has an argument with Jacob. She wants to learn how to drive a wagon, and more than that, she wants to ride a horse—specifically, Jack.
  • He tells her that he doesn't mind teaching her how to drive, but that Jack is a sly horse; Sarah can't handle him as a beginner.
  • Eventually Jacob relents and says that he'll teach her tomorrow, after he fixes the roof. Sarah tells him that she's definitely fixed a roof before, and that she'll help him.
  • So they start working on the roof, while Anna worries about Sarah's desire to go to town alone in the wagon. What if she wants to leave them?
  • A sudden storm comes out of nowhere and Jacob yells to the children to get the horses, sheep, and cows inside—they need to take shelter in the barn.
  • Everyone gets inside, but then Sarah yells that she forgot the chickens and runs back outside. Jacob freaks out and runs after her.
  • Luckily, they make it back inside with the chickens, and then everyone settles down to wait out the worst of the storm.
  • At one point, Sarah tells Jacob that they have squalls like this in Maine, too, and he puts his arm around her. The kids watch this sweet little moment and simply can't stop smiling at the affection.
  • The storm continues through the night, so they all sleep on the hay in the barn and listen to the rain and hail outside.
  • When they wake up in the morning and step outside, the world is covered in hail that crunches underneath their feet and gleams like the sea.