- Way back in the Shelby household, Mrs. Shelby tries to talk to Mr. Shelby about their promise to buy Uncle Tom back, but he keeps wriggling out of it.
- Mr. Shelby says it’s impossible, the finances are in too much of a mess, and he refuses to allow her to try her hand at squaring things up.
- Mrs. Shelby tries to come up with solutions for their financial troubles. She suggests that she take in music students and make the money herself. Mr. Shelby shoots his wife’s idea down, saying that she’d be degrading herself by working. Mrs. Shelby thinks it’s far more degrading to break her promise to Tom and Chloe.
- Aunt Chloe makes a proposition to Mrs. Shelby: why don’t they hire Aunt Chloe out as a cook and use her earnings to purchase Tom back?
- Mrs. Shelby agrees to the plan, and they make arrangements for Aunt Chloe to leave the next day.
- George comes to visit Aunt Chloe and helps to write a letter to Tom, letting Tom know the plan.