Why was TJ in strawberry when RW and melvin simms beat him up n the novel Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry?

Because they convinced him to go there with them. They were going to get him the pearl handed pistol but the mercantile was closed to they broke in because they didn't want to go back home with nothing. Then they robbed money and knocked out Mr barnett and mrs barnett. Then TJ wants to go home but they wont let him and when TJ threatens to tell everyone that it was them who robbed the mercantile, they beat him up realy bad and throw him in the back of their truck.