“Don’t worry, old man,” Karak said. “More is there.” He spoke gently, but Ram could see he enjoyed Clive’s bumbling.

Tomoya stood, called to his son in Japanese—it was time to go home. Clive rose too. He mounted his mare first, and the Japanese and Hindustanees watched him set off at a trot, raising their hands silently.

“He will get marry,” Tomoya said after a while. He exchanged a knowing glance with Jivan. Ram had not realized the extent of their friendship.

Tomoya nodded, once, and Jivan returned the gesture. He put his palms together—then the men clasped hands.

Father and son mounted their horses. Ram felt peace descend. All was simpler with just his countrymen present. They sat at the table that Kishen set on the porch, eating rotis while the night surrounded them.

Moments later, they heard hurried hoofbeats on the dirt path and Clive reappeared. He slipped off the saddle. “I left my satchel,” he said, his face flushed. “And my ledger. I forgot to put in the totals.” Amarjeet gave him the book. Clive made hurried notations and slapped it shut. His horse started, ears up.

“See you boys,” Clive slurred, tucking the ledger and satchel into his saddlebag. “Thanks for a good time.” He turned the mare and trotted off.

He was past the turn when Jivan said in a low voice, “The boy is a fool.”

“He drinks too much,” Karak said. “But he doesn’t interfere. That is the important thing.”

“Eggenberger is satisfied,” Jivan said. “That is the important thing.”

“The important thing,” Karak countered, “is Ram should learn Americans do not give sweets to announce a wedding.”

“I have learned it,” said Ram.

10

November 1914

THE LAND THAT KARAK AND RAM LEASED FROM EGGENBERGER HAD BEEN planted in alfalfa, then left fallow for long enough that it would once again need leveling; the ditches would need to be redefined. First they plowed, then they borrowed Jivan Singh’s team of mules, drove them out to their new cotton fields, and hitched them up to the Fresno scraper. Ram told Karak how much they should slope the soil, how to subdivide the tract to irrigate efficiently; he insisted on digging a pond to receive water from the delivery ditch before it was dispersed to the fields. He argued that 160 acres half-cultivated was less desirable than 40 acres closely cultivated. Karak deferred to him but he questioned why certain things needed to be done. Ram was surprised at how little Karak knew. Ram had steadied a leveler behind a mule since he was a child.

One morning Jivan and Amarjeet came with them, driving a second team, attaching another scraper borrowed from Tomoya. Karak was grateful, but Ram felt unsettled: now he owed something to the man from Japan. He did not like that feeling.