- Tom and Birdy scope out the best place to construct the barn on the Dolan property.
- Tom worries that it's foolish to imagine the barn there since he doesn't own it yet, but Birdy says never mind that. If for some reason Tom doesn't get the Breen barn, they'll find timber elsewhere.
- They decide to build the barn against a small hill, which means they will need stone for the part of the barn that will touch the hill. Birdy knows of several abandoned farms where they can get stone from the old buildings.
- Throughout the summer, Birdy and Tom work every evening and on Sundays to get the stones.
- In October, Tom and Birdy drive up to the Breen place to check on the barn and continue planning. When they get there, they see that the Flanchers have been digging around the house looking for the money.
- Tom realizes how much he has learned about carpentry from his book as he and Birdy are in the barn discussing how to construct the proper support to connect the stone parts of the new barn.
- They pass the Flanchers on the drive back. Birdy has brought his gun for just such a meeting. Whoa. A gun? This is more serious than we thought.
- Birdy stands up to the Flanchers, telling them they have no claim to the Breen place and that Tom's going ahead with his plans to take the barn down.
- Birdy tells Tom not to go up to the Breen place alone, but he also reassures Tom they won't let the Flanchers stop them.