I was shocked. Atticus doesnt drink whiskey, I said. He never drunk a drop in his lifenome, yes he did. He said he drank some one time and didnt like it.

Miss Maudie laughed. Wasnt talking about your father, she said. What I meant was, if Atticus Finch drank until he was drunk he wouldnt be as hard as some men are at their best. There are just some kind of men whowhore so busy worrying about the next world theyve never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.

Do you think theyre true, all those things they say about BMr. Arthur?

What things?

I told her.

That is three-fourths colored folks and one-fourth Stephanie Crawford, said Miss Maudie grimly. Stephanie Crawford even told me once she woke up in the middle of the night and found him looking in the window at her. I said what did you do, Stephanie, move over in the bed and make room for him? That shut her up a while.

I was sure it did. Miss Maudies voice was enough to shut anybody up.

No, child, she said, that is a sad house. I remember Arthur Radley when he was a boy. He always spoke nicely to me, no matter what folks said he did. Spoke as nicely as he knew how.

You reckon hes crazy?

Miss Maudie shook her head. If hes not he should be by now. The things that happen to people we never really know. What happens in houses behind closed doors, what secrets

Atticus dont ever do anything to Jem and me in the house that he dont do in the yard, I said, feeling it my duty to defend my parent.

Gracious child, I was raveling a thread, wasnt even thinking about your father, but now that I am Ill say this: Atticus Finch is the same in his house as he is on the public streets. Howd you like some fresh poundcake to take home?

I liked it very much.

Next morning when I awakened I found Jem and Dill in the back yard deep in conversation. When I joined them, as usual they said go away.

Will not. This yards as much mine as it is yours, Jem Finch. I got just as much right to play in it as you have.

Dill and Jem emerged from a brief huddle: If you stay youve got to do what we tell you, Dill warned.

We-ll, I said, whos so high and mighty all of a sudden?

If you dont say youll do what we tell you, we aint gonna tell you anything, Dill continued.

You act like you grew ten inches in the night! All right, what is it?

Jem said placidly, We are going to give a note to Boo Radley.

Just how? I was trying to fight down the automatic terror rising in me. It was all right for Miss Maudie to talkshe was old and snug on her porch. It was different for us.

Jem was merely going to put the note on the end of a fishing pole and stick it through the shutters. If anyone came along, Dill would ring the bell.

Dill raised his right hand. In it was my mothers silver dinnerbell.

Im goin around to the side of the house, said Jem. We looked yesterday from across the street, and theres a shutter loose. Think maybe I can make it stick on the window sill, at least.

Jem

Now youre in it and you cant get out of it, youll just stay in it, Miss Priss!

Okay, okay, but I dont wanta watch. Jem, somebody was

Yes you will, youll watch the back end of the lot and Dills gonna watch the front of the house an up the street an if anybody comes hell ring the bell. That clear?

All right then. Whatd you write him?

Dill said, Were askin him real politely to come out sometimes, and tell us what he does in therewe said we wouldnt hurt him and wed buy him an ice cream.

You allve gone crazy, hell kill us!

Dill said, Its my idea. I figure if hed come out and sit a spell with us he might feel better.

How do you know he dont feel good?

Well howd you feel if youd been shut up for a hundred years with nothin but cats to eat? I bet hes got a beard down to here

Like your daddys?

He aint got a beard, he Dill stopped, as if trying to remember.