NEARLY FIVE TO ONE

Summary

In the present, Tommo stares at the moon and tries to make a wish on it before
deciding that wishes are silly.

In the past, the family buries Bertha. Big Joe asks if Bertha is up in heaven now
with Father, and Mother assures him that she is.

That evening, Big Joe goes missing. He sometimes goes wandering off, but the
family grows increasingly worried when he does not return. Eventually, the whole
village joins in the search for him—even the Colonel helps. Charlie goes down to
the pub and explains to the others that Big Joe has gone missing, and they all put
on their hats and head out to look for him.

Molly suggests that Big Joe might be hiding somewhere in the churchyard, which
is his favorite place; they search all around but do not find him. The Colonel calls
in the police and they all search for him. Tommo watches them search the rivers
and ponds and is filled with worry because Big Joe cannot swim. Mother is very
worried about her eldest son, but she tries to be brave for the rest of her children.
They search everywhere but find no trace of Big Joe.

Molly asks where Big Joe would most want to be, saying that he would probably
want to be with Bertha in heaven. At first, Tommo is worried that she means Big
Joe might have killed himself, but Molly says that Big Joe often points at the
church tower when he talks about heaven. Perhaps he is hiding there.

Tommo and Charlie race toward the church and head up the tower. Filled with
dread, they push open the door and find Big Joe there, pale and still. He opens his
eyes and tells them that he's hungry. Charlie rings the bell to tell everyone the good
news, and the sound is very loud inside the tower.

Everyone—Mr. Munnings, Miss McAllister, the Colonel, Grandma Wolf, Mother,

and Molly—celebrates that Big Joe has been found alive and safe. Swifts swoop
through the air, and it seems to Tommo as though they were also celebrating the
fact that Big Joe is still alive.
Questions

1) After the funeral, what happened to Big Joe?

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2) List the places they searched for Big Joe.

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3) Why do you think everyone goes out to search for him? Why are they all so
worried and affected?

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4) For how long was he missing?

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5) Where did they finally decide to check for Big Joe?

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6) Describe how Tommo felt as he was going up the stairs to the church.

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7) Summarise the last paragraph in this chapter.

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8) Why does Molly suggest that they search in the Church?

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9) What do you think Big Joe means when he says ‘Ungwee. Ungwee.’?

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