Their Eyes Were Watching God: Novel Summary: Chapter 13

Hurston's thirteenth chapter provides Janie with a much-needed change in scenery. With $200 hidden in her shirt, Janie takes the train to meet Tea Cake in Jacksonville, where they immediately get married. Everything goes smoothly until a week later when Tea Cake leaves early one morning, leaving Janie to wake up discovering her $200 has disappeared. When Tea Cake doesn't return that night Janie begins to worry that perhaps something has happened to him, or that perhaps he has left her. Tea Cake, however, shows up the next day and pacifies Janie by telling her of his various adventures during the previous night. Admitting he only has $12 left of Janie's $200, Tea Cake ensures her that he will make up the loss through gambling. Later that week Tea Cake goes to gamble one night and comes back with $322 along with several knife wounds. As Janie nurses his wounds, Tea Cake reveals his plan: he and Janie will go to the Everglades - down on "the muck" - to plant and pick string beans and cane.