Read it out loud, please, Atticus. Its real scary.

No, he said. Youve had enough scaring for a while. This is too

Atticus, I wasnt scared.

He raised his eyebrows, and I protested: Leastways not till I started telling Mr. Tate about it. Jem wasnt scared. Asked him and he said he wasnt. Besides, nothins real scary except in books.

Atticus opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. He took his thumb from the middle of the book and turned back to the first page. I moved over and leaned my head against his knee. Hrm, he said, The Gray Ghost, by Seckatary Hawkins. Chapter One . . .

I willed myself to stay awake, but the rain was so soft and the room was so warm and his voice was so deep and his knee was so snug that I slept.

Seconds later, it seemed, his shoe was gently nudging my ribs. He lifted me to my feet and walked me to my room. Heard every word you said, I muttered. . . . wasnt sleep at all, s about a ship an Three-Fingered Fred n Stoners Boy. . . .

He unhooked my overalls, leaned me against him, and pulled them off. He held me up with one hand and reached for my pajamas with the other.

Yeah, an they all thought it was Stoners Boy messin up their clubhouse an throwin ink all over it an . . .

He guided me to the bed and sat me down. He lifted my legs and put me under the cover.

An they chased him n never could catch him cause they didnt know what he looked like, an Atticus, when they finally saw him, why he hadnt done any of those things . . . Atticus, he was real nice. . . .

His hands were under my chin, pulling up the cover, tucking it around me.

Most people are, Scout, when you finally see them.

He turned out the light and went into Jems room. He would be there all night, and he would be there when Jem waked up in the morning.