Avery, Toussaint, and Brother Samuel pushed him up by his legs. His hands reached the top of the ditch, and then he fell backwards into the water and went under. He sat up with just his head and shoulders showing. His gray hair was matted with clay.
“Try it again.”
“Gang five over here,” Evans shouted. “Get the hell out of here, Benoit.”
“I can’t find my gang.”
“Where’s Rainack?” another inmate said.
“Down at the other end,” Evans said.
“Stop shoving, for Christ’s sake.”
“Let me get on your shoulders.”
“Cut it out.”
They pushed Daddy Claxton up the side until he could get his stomach over and make the rest of it with his elbows and knees.
“Who’s next?” Toussaint said.
“I’ll go,” Benoit said.
“Where’s Jeffry and Billy Jo?”
“They went fishing,” LeBlanc said.
“Benoit, I told you to find your own gang,” Evans said, the rain beating against his cork sun helmet.
“I don’t know where it is.”
“Let Brother Samuel go,” Toussaint said.
Toussaint made a foot-step with his hands and they boosted Samuel up the embankment. He crawled over the top.
“How about me?” Benoit said.
“Wait your turn,” LeBlanc said.
“I can’t find nobody. I’ll go to detention if I ain’t back with my gang.”
“That’ll break my heart.”
“Come on, Avery.”
LeBlanc and Toussaint shoved him to the top. LeBlanc followed, and Avery and Brother Samuel lay on their stomachs over the side to help Toussaint up. He dug one foot in the clay and leaped upward, grabbing some roots. He hung there and kicked his feet into the embankment. They caught him by the wrists and pulled him up. Benoit was left in the ditch
“How about me?” he said.
“Go take a bath,” Evans said.
“Be a good guy. I’ll get time in detention.”
Evans looked around him. His eyes snapped. He forgot about Benoit.
“Where’s Billy Jo and Jeffry?” he said.
“They gone fishing,” LeBlanc said.