<P> Papa, Mr. Morrison, and Stacey go to Vicksburg; on their way back, they find one of the wagon wheels has been tampered with . As Papa fixes it, they are ambushed by the Wallaces . They attempt to shoot Papa with a bullet that grazes his temple . However, this startles the horse into running off, causing the wagon to fall and crush Papa's leg . Mr. Morrison attacks the Wallaces, snapping Dewberry Wallace's back . Later, Mr. Granger uses his banking influence to make the Logans' mortgage note due for full payment within a week even though the Logans had four more years to pay it . Uncle Hammer sells his car and other items, leaving the Logans able to pay the mortgage . </P> <P> On the last night of church revival meetings in August, T.J. appears dressed up in gangster - like clothes with R.W. and Melvin in order to show his former friends he is better off without them . R.W. and Melvin take T.J. to get the pearl handled pistol at the Barnett store . The store is closed, but R.W. and Melvin convince T.J. to steal the gun while they rob the cash box . The Barnetts catch what appear to be three black burglars, as Melvin and R.W. are wearing stocking masks over their faces . R.W. hits Mr. Barnett with the flat end of an ax and slaps Mrs. Barnett, causing her to hit the back of her head on a stove and black out . They beat up T.J. when he threatens to reveal what happened . T.J. flees to the Logans . Stacey takes T.J. home before T.J.'s father finds him missing and kicks him out . The Simms and Wallaces attack the Averys' home, capture T.J. and are about to lynch him when Mr. Jamison and the town sheriff arrived . The Wallaces propose taking T.J. to the Logans' land and killing him and Papa and Mr. Morrison . The Logan children flee home where they are found to have been missing and reveal what happened . Papa and Mr. Morrison leave . Mama and Big Ma realize that there is a fire outside that may consume their land . The fire stops the lynching by causing the Simms, Wallaces, and Logans to work together to extinguish it . </P> <P> Mrs. Barnett survives the burglary, but Mr. Barnett dies . The sheriff arrests T.J. and Cassie realizes that Papa set the fire to save T.J. Stacey asks what T.J.'s fate will be . Papa replies that he will be convicted of Mr. Barnett's murder and may be executed . Cassie, overwhelmed by the news, silently goes to bed . Although Cassie never liked T.J., she cries for him and the land . </P> <P> The book was made into a same - named made - for - TV film in 1978, starring Morgan Freeman in an earlier role ("Uncle Hammer") and used music composed by Fred Karlin . </P>

Who dies in roll of thunder hear my cry