We found out in chapter 21 that Antanas died. Explain what happened, as it was explained to Jurgis.

Aniele tells Jurgis that little Antanas is dead. He drowned in a flooded street.

"He fell off the sidewalk!" she wailed. The sidewalk in front of the house was a platform made of half-rotten boards, about five feet above the level of the sunken street.

"How did he come to be there?" he demanded.

"He went—he went out to play," Marija sobbed, her voice choking her. "We couldn’t make him stay in. He must have got caught in the mud!"

"Are you sure that he is dead?" he demanded.

"Ai! ai!" she wailed. "Yes; we had the doctor."