Not long after the incident between Lundy and Little Burl, Christy notices the mission’s pigs acting strangely. She points this out to David, who follows the path of the pigs’ drunken behavior to the schoolhouse, where they find a cache of moonshine hidden underneath the floor. David's worst fears are confirmed—illegal moonshine production is occurring, and this was likely drawing dangerous outsiders into Cutter Gap. Moonshine deliveries would be passed onto violent middlemen called blockaders, who then sold it further down the line. Some of Christy's students, including Lundy, have been drawn into this scheme through their families, which explains Lundy’s violence against Little Burl when the latter nearly stumbled into the cache.

David collaborates with the US Marshals to locate the still that was producing this moonshine, but it has already been relocated by the time they find the site, apparently having been tipped off by someone. Miss Alice hears this and is deeply troubled by the news. She encourages David to try to repair his relationship with some of the mountain men he may have offended over the past few weeks, such as Ozias Holt: “Beware the chasms in thy life, David. Sooner or later thee will fall down in the chasm thyself” (245).