My costume was not much of a problem. Mrs. Crenshaw, the local seamstress, had as much imagination as Mrs. Merriweather. Mrs. Crenshaw took some chicken wire and bent it into the shape of a cured ham. This she covered with brown cloth, and painted it to resemble the original. I could duck under and someone would pull the contraption down over my head. It came almost to my knees. Mrs. Crenshaw thoughtfully left two peepholes for me. She did a fine job; Jem said I looked exactly like a ham with legs. There were several discomforts, though: it was hot, it was a close fit; if my nose itched I couldnt scratch, and once inside I could not get out of it alone.

When Halloween came, I assumed that the whole family would be present to watch me perform, but I was disappointed. Atticus said as tactfully as he could that he just didnt think he could stand a pageant tonight, he was all in. He had been in Montgomery for a week and had come home late that afternoon. He thought Jem might escort me if I asked him.

Aunt Alexandra said she just had to get to bed early, shed been decorating the stage all afternoon and was worn outshe stopped short in the middle of her sentence. She closed her mouth, then opened it to say something, but no words came.

s matter, Aunty? I asked.

Oh nothing, nothing, she said, somebody just walked over my grave. She put away from her whatever it was that gave her a pinprick of apprehension, and suggested that I give the family a preview in the livingroom. So Jem squeezed me into my costume, stood at the livingroom door, called out Po-ork, exactly as Mrs. Merriweather would have done, and I marched in. Atticus and Aunt Alexandra were delighted.

I repeated my part for Calpurnia in the kitchen and she said I was wonderful. I wanted to go across the street to show Miss Maudie, but Jem said shed probably be at the pageant anyway.

After that, it didnt matter whether they went or not. Jem said he would take me. Thus began our longest journey together.

28

The weather was unusually warm for the last day of October. We didnt even need jackets. The wind was growing stronger, and Jem said it might be raining before we got home. There was no moon.

The street light on the corner cast sharp shadows on the Radley house. I heard Jem laugh softly. Bet nobody bothers them tonight, he said. Jem was carrying my ham costume, rather awkwardly, as it was hard to hold. I thought it gallant of him to do so.

It is a scary place though, aint it? I said. Boo doesnt mean anybody any harm, but Im right glad youre along.

You know Atticus wouldnt let you go to the schoolhouse by yourself, Jem said.

Dont see why, its just around the corner and across the yard.

That yards a mighty long place for little girls to cross at night, Jem teased. Aint you scared of haints?

We laughed. Haints, Hot Steams, incantations, secret signs, had vanished with our years as mist with sunrise. What was that old thing, Jem said, Angel bright, life-in-death; get off the road, dont suck my breath.

Cut it out, now, I said. We were in front of the Radley Place.

Jem said, Boo must not be at home. Listen.

High above us in the darkness a solitary mocker poured out his repertoire in blissful unawareness of whose tree he sat in, plunging from the shrill kee, kee of the sunflower bird to the irascible qua-ack of a bluejay, to the sad lament of Poor Will, Poor Will, Poor Will.

We turned the corner and I tripped on a root growing in the road. Jem tried to help me, but all he did was drop my costume in the dust. I didnt fall, though, and soon we were on our way again.

We turned off the road and entered the schoolyard. It was pitch black.

How do you know where were at, Jem? I asked, when we had gone a few steps.

I can tell were under the big oak because were passin through a cool spot. Careful now, and dont fall again.

We had slowed to a cautious gait, and were feeling our way forward so as not to bump into the tree. The tree was a single and ancient oak; two children could not reach around its trunk and touch hands. It was far away from teachers, their spies, and curious neighbors: it was near the Radley lot, but the Radleys were not curious. A small patch of earth beneath its branches was packed hard from many fights and furtive crap games.

The lights in the high school auditorium were blazing in the distance, but they blinded us, if anything. Dont look ahead, Scout, Jem said. Look at the ground and you wont fall.