In this chapter, we learn that the bet made between the two boys about which one of them would get the better of the other has begun to hurt. We learn that he's been drinking too much and is starting to get sick. He wants to go to the bathroom, but he can't find a place to go. He asks the bartender to tell him what's wrong. The bartender tells him to stop drinking, but the kid doesn't want to listen to him. He tells the bartender that if he wants to live, he should stop drinking. The kid is horrified at the idea that someone would take the kid down for saying such a stupid thing in front of a bunch of people. He's also horrified by the fact that the kid has been drinking all his life and hasn't been able to get better. He begs the bartender for help.