# II: The Pearl-Diggers explained — Jibby Jones

> Chapter companion for Jibby Jones by Ellis Parker Butler.

## What happens

The boys try to fool Jibby Jones with tall tales about pearl diving in the Mississippi, claiming that pearl mussels burrow deep in the mud and must be 'nosed out' by divers. Jibby takes them seriously, dives into the shallow water, and emerges with a mussel shell containing a large, valuable pearl. The boys feel ashamed of their deception, while Jibby calmly plans to use the money to let his father stay on Birch Island.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Trust

The boys attempt to deceive Jibby with false stories about pearl diving, but Jibby's trusting nature and eventual success expose their trickery, leading to shame.

### Perseverance and Problem Solving

Jibby persists in his diving attempts despite initial failure and mockery, ultimately solving his family's financial problem by finding a valuable pearl.

## Character check-ins

### Jibby Jones

Takes the boys' pearl-diving stories at face value, dives into the mud with his nose, and successfully retrieves a pearl worth $1,200.

### Tad Willing

Leads the effort to fool Jibby with invented details about pearl diving, but later feels ashamed when Jibby succeeds.

### Skippy Root

Joins in the deception, adding false claims about mussels spitting out pearls when dredged.

### Wampus Smale

Participates in the trickery and later expresses concern that Jibby might drown during his dive.

## Key lines

> Well, it took us quite a while to learn that Jibby Jones was not as stupid as he looks, and that when he looks stupidest and says the queerest things is when he is farthest from being stupid.

We gradually realized that Jibby's odd remarks and blank expressions actually masked sharp intelligence.

_Narrator reflects on the boys' initial misjudgment of Jibby._

> You have to nose them out.

The only way to find pearl mussels is to push them out of the mud with your nose.

_Tad's fabricated explanation to fool Jibby about pearl diving._

> I hope it did not have time to get rid of the pearl; I hope I did not frighten it too much; I hit it rather hard with my nose.

Jibby worries that the mussel might have ejected the pearl because he struck it forcefully with his nose.

_Jibby's earnest concern after retrieving the shell._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se/chapters/ii-the-pearl-diggers
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/jibby_jones_se/chapters