When Coach Swieteck is gone for the day, Jay and the other eighth grade boys attack Joseph in the locker room. Jack realizes that something is wrong when he and Ernie stay behind to clean up the gym equipment. Jack runs to the locker room to find Jay on the floor with a bleeding nose; two of Jay’s friends are shoving Joseph against the lockers. Joseph signals for Jack to leave, but when Jay gets back onto his feet, Jack shoves him. Jay hits the nearby lockers and falls to the floor again. Jack hurts the other two boys before the substitute teacher intervenes.

Mr. Canton berates Jack for getting involved in the fight. Mr. and Mrs. Hurd do the same when he gets home from school, reminding Jack not to blindly follow Joseph. Mr. Hurd admits to Jack that he too would have gotten involved if he were in Jack’s position. When Joseph comes into their room that night, he thanks Jack: “No one’s ever had my back before. Except Maddie” (100).

The school suspends Joseph for the fight, but several of his teachers arrive at the farm to tutor him so he can keep up with his classes Over the winter break, Jack and Joseph go to the library for the sequel to Octavian Nothing.