In the three months since the victory of the miners strike, Willie's first act as the inaugural president of the Junior Mine Workers Association is to ask Mr. Crowe to send for a doctor trained in treating consumption. However, Spider and the other pit boys want to take advantage of Willie's position to ask to form their own baseball team which they name The Ponies. Meanwhile, Nellie tries to make Rose take Maggie and Sarah away as her health deteriorates. But Maggie refuses to leave and wants to stay in Glace Bay.
—matt-282