             ,,*APT] ,,VII
          ,A ,,NI<T'S ,,VIGIL

  ,,BENNY %E 0 LOOK+ PRETTY SOB]1 & %E
SI<$ "S1 N[ & !N2 B PRETTY SOON %E GOT
6ASK+ AB ,M>Y1 & ,SID1 & ,TOM'S AUNT
,POLLY1 & !N ,AUNT ,S,Y'S CL\DS CLE>$ (F
& %E GOT 9 A GD HUMOR & JO9$ 9 ON ! "QS
& 0 H] LOV+E/ BE/ SELF1 & S ! RE/ (!
SUPP] W5T AL;G GAY & PL1SANT4 ,B ! OLD
MAN HE DIDN'T TAKE ANY H& H>DLY1 & 0
ABS5T-M9D$ & RE/.S1 & D"O A 3SID]A# AM.T
( SI<+2 & X 0 K9D ( HE>T-BR1K+ 6SEE HM S
SAD & TR\#D & WORRI$4
  ,BY & BY1 A SPELL AF SUPP]1 -E A NI7]
& KNOCK$ ON ! DOOR & PUT 8 H1D 9 ) 8 OLD
/RAW HAT 9 8 H& B[+ & SCRAP+1 & SD 8
,M>SE ,BRACE 0 \ AT ! /ILE & WANT$ 8
BRO!R1 & 0 GETT+ TIR$ WAIT+ SUPP] = HM1
& WD ,M>SE ,SILAS PL1SE TELL HM ": HE
WAS8 ,I N"E SEE ,UNCLE ,SILAS SP1K UP S
%>P & FRACTI\S 2F4 ,HE SAYS3
  8,AM ,I 8 BRO!R'S KEEP]80 ,& !N HE K9D
( WILT$ TGR1 & LOOK$ L HE WI%$ HE _HN'T
SPOK5 S1 & !N HE SAYS1 V G5TLE3 8,B Y
NE$N'T SAY T1 ,BILLY2 ,I 0 TOOK SU45 &
IRRITA#1 & ,I A9'T V WELL ^! "DS1 & N
H>DLY RESPONSI#4 ,TELL HM HE A9'T "H40
  ,& :5 ! NI7] 0 G"O HE GOT UP & WALK$ !
FLOOR1 BACKW>DS & =W>DS1 MUMBL+ & MUTT]+
6HMF & PL[+ 8 H&S "? 8 HAIR4 ,X 0 R1L
PITI;L 6SEE HM4 ,AUNT ,S,Y %E :ISP]$ 6U
& TOLD U N 6TAKE NOTICE ( HM1 X
EMB>RASS$ HM4 ,%E SD HE 0 ALW ?9K+ &
?9K+1 S9CE ^! TR\#S -E ON1 & %E ALL[$ HE
DIDN'T MORE'N AB HALF "K :AT HE 0 AB :5
! ?9K+ SPELLS 0 ON HM2 & %E SD HE WALK$
9 8 SLEEP 3SID]A# M N[ ?AN HE US$ TO1 &
"S"TS W&]$ >.D OV] ! H\SE & EV5 \TDOORS
9 8 SLEEP1 & IF WE CAT*$ HM AT X WE M/
LET HM AL"O & N 4TURB HM4 ,%E SD %E
RECKON$ X DIDN'T D HM NO H>M1 & MAY 2 X
D"O HM GD4 ,%E SD ,B5NY 0 ! ONLY "O T 0
M* HELP 6HM ^! "DS4 ,SD ,B5NY APPE>$ 6"K
J :5 6TRY 6SOO! HM & :5 6L1VE HM AL"O4
  ,S HE KEPT ON TRAMP+ UP & D[N ! FLOOR
& MUTT]+1 TILL BY & BY HE 2GUN 6LOOK
PRETTY TIR$2 !N ,B5NY %E W5T & SNU7L$ UP
6HIS SIDE & PUT "O H& 9 8 & "O >M >.D 8
WAI/ & WALK$ ) HM2 & HE SMIL$ D[N ON H]1
& R1*$ D[N & KISS$ H]2 & S1 LL 0LL !
TR\# W5T \ ( 8 FACE & %E P]SUAD$ HM (F
6HIS ROOM4 ,!Y _H V PETT+ WAYS TGR1 & X
0 UNCOMMON PRETTY 6SEE4
  ,AUNT ,S,Y %E 0 BUSY GETT+ ! *N R1DY =
B$2 S BY & BY X GOT DULL & T$I\S1 & ME &
,TOM TOOK A TURN 9 ! MOONLI<T1 & FET*$
UP 9 ! WAT]MELON-PAT* & ET "O1 & _H A GD
D1L ( TALK4 ,& ,TOM SD HE'D BET !
QU>REL+ 0 ALL ,JUBIT]'S FAULT1 & HE 0
GO+ 6BE ON H& ! F/ "T HE GOT A *.E1 &
SEE2 & IF X 0 S1 HE 0 GO+ 6D 8 LEVEL BE/
6GET ,UNCLE ,SILAS 6TURN HM (F4
  ,& S WE TALK$ & SMOK$ & /U6$
WAT]MELONS M* Z TWO H\RS1 & !N X 0
PRETTY LATE1 & :5 WE GOT BACK ! H\SE 0
QUIET & D>K1 & "EYBODY G"O 6B$4
  ,TOM HE ALW SE5 "EY?+1 & N[ HE SEE T !
OLD GRE5 BAIZE "W-G[N 0 G"O1 & SD X
WASN'T G"O :5 HE W5T \2 S HE ALL[$ X 0
CURI\S1 & !N WE W5T UP 6B$4
  ,WE CD HE> ,B5NY /IRR+ >.D 9 H] ROOM1
: 0 NEXT 6\RN1 & JUDG$ %E 0 WORRI$ A GD
D1L AB H] "F & CDN'T SLEEP4 ,WE F.D WE
CDN'T1 NEI4 ,S WE SET UP A L;G "T1 &
SMOK$ & TALK$ 9 A L[ VOICE1 & FELT
PRETTY DULL & D[N-HE>T$4 ,WE TALK$ !
MURD] &! <O/ OV] & OV] AG1 & GOT S
CREEPY & CRAWLY WE CDN'T GET SLEEPY NOH[
& NOWAY4
  ,BY & BY1 :5 X 0 AWAY LATE 9 ! NI<T &
ALL ! S.DS 0 LATE S.DS & SOLEMN1 ,TOM
NUDG$ ME & :ISP]S 6ME 6LOOK1 & ,I D"O X1
& "! WE SEE A MAN POK+ >.D 9 ! Y>D L HE
DIDN'T "K J :AT HE WANT$ 6D1 B X 0
PRETTY DIM & WE CDN'T SEE HM GD4 ,!N HE
/>T$ =! /ILE1 & Z HE W5T OV] X ! MOON
CAME \ /R;G1 & HE _H A L;G-H&L$ %OVEL
OV] 8 %\LD]1 & WE SEE ! :ITE PAT* ON !
OLD "W-G[N4 ,S ,TOM SAYS3
  8,HE'S A-WALK+ 9 8 SLEEP4 ,I WI% WE 0
ALL[$ 6FOLL[ HM & SEE ": HE'S GO+ TO4
,"!1 HE'S TURN$ D[N 0! TOBACK]-FIELD4 ,\
( SI<T N[4 ,X'S A DR1D;L P;Y HE C'T RE/
NO BETT]40
  ,WE WAIT$ A L;G "T1 B HE DIDN'T -E
BACK ANY M1 OR IF HE DID HE -E >.D ! O!R
WAY2 S AT LA/ WE 0 TUCK]$ \ & W5T 6SLEEP
& _H NI<TM>ES1 A MILLION ( !M4 ,B 2F
DAWN WE 0 AWAKE AG1 2C M1N"T A /ORM _H
-E UP & BE5 RAG+1 &! ?"U & LI<TN+ 0
AW;L1 &! W9D 0 A-?RA%+ ! TREES >.D1 &!
RA9 0 DRIV+ D[N 9 SLANT+ %EETS1 &!
GULLIES 0 RUNN+ RIV]S4 ,TOM SAYS3
  8,LOOKY "H1 ,HUCK1 ,I'LL TELL Y "O ?+
T'S MI<TY CURI\S4 ,UP 6! "T WE W5T \ LA/
NI<T ! FAMILY _HN'T HE>D AB ,JAKE
,DUNLAP 2+ MURD]$4 ,N[ ! M5 T *AS$ ,HAL
,CLAYTON & ,BUD ,DIXON AWAY WD SPR1D !
?+ >.D 9 A HALF AN H\R1 & E NEI<BOR T
HE>D X WD %9 \ & FLY >.D F "O F>M TO
;T'O!R & TRY 6BE ! F/ 6TELL ! NEWS4 ,L&1
!Y DON'T H S* A BIG ?+ Z T 6TELL TWICE 9
?IRTY YE>6 ,HUCK1 X'S MI<TY /RANGE2 ,I
DON'T "U/& X40
  ,S !N HE 0 9 A FIDGET =! RA9 6LET UP1
S WE CD TURN \ & RUN ACR "S (! P & SEE
IF !Y WD SAY ANY?+ AB X 6U4 ,& HE SD IF
!Y DID WE M/ 2 HORRIBLY SURPRIS$ &
%OCK$4
  ,WE 0 \ & G"O ! M9UTE ! RA9 /OPP$4 ,X
0 J BROAD "D !N4 ,WE LOAF$ AL;G UP !
ROAD1 & N[ & !N MET A P]SON & /OPP$ & SD
H[DY1 & TOLD !M :5 WE -E1 & H[ WE LEFT !
FOLKS AT HOME1 & H[ L;G WE 0 GO+ 6/AY1 &
ALL T1 B N"O ( !M SD A ^W AB T ?+2 : 0 J
A/ONI%+1 & NO MISTAKE4 ,TOM SD HE 2LIEV$
IF WE W5T 6! SYCAMORES WE WD F9D T BODY
LAY+ "! SOLIT>Y & AL"O1 & N A S\L >.D4
,SD HE 2LIEV$ ! M5 *AS$ ! ?IEVES S F>
96! WOODS T ! ?IEVES PROB'LY SE5 A GD
*.E & TURN$ ON !M AT LA/1 & MAYBE !Y ALL
KILL$ EA* O!R1 & S "! WASN'T ANYBODY
LEFT 6TELL4
  ,F/ WE "K$1 GA2L+ AL;G T AWAY1 WE 0 "R
AT ! SYCAMORES4 ,! COLD *ILLS TRICKL$
D[N MY BACK & ,I WDN'T BUDGE ANO!R /EP1
= ALL ,TOM'S P]SUAD+4 ,B HE CDN'T HOLD
IN2 HE'D ,,GOT 6SEE IF ! BOOTS 0 SAFE ON
T BODY YET4 ,S HE CROPE 9--&! NEXT M9UTE
\ HE -E AG ) 8 EYES BULG+ HE 0 S EXCIT$1
& SAYS3
  8,HUCK1 X'S G"O60
  ,I ,,0 A/ONI%$6 ,I SAYS3
  8,TOM1 Y DON'T M1N X40
  8,X'S G"O1 SURE4 ,"! A9'T A SIGN ( X4
,! GR.D IS TRAMPL$ "S1 B IF "! 0 ANY
BLOOD X'S ALL WA%$ AWAY 0! /ORM1 = X'S
ALL PU4LES & SLU% 9 "!40
  ,AT LA/ ,I GIVE IN1 & W5T & TOOK A
LOOK MYF2 & X 0 J Z ,TOM SD--"! WASN'T A
SIGN (A CORPSE4
  8,D]N X10 ,I SAYS1 8! DI'MONDS IS G"O4
,DON'T Y RECKON ! ?IEVES SLUNK BACK &
LU7$ HM (F1 ,TOM80
  8,LOOKS L X4 ,X J DOES4 ,N[ ":'D !Y
HIDE HM1 D Y RECKON80
  8,I DON'T "K10 ,I SAYS1 4GU/$1 8&
:AT'S M ,I DON'T C>E4 ,!Y'VE GOT !
BOOTS1 & T'S ALL ,I C>$ AB4 ,HE'LL LAY
>.D ^! WOODS A L;G "T 2F ,I HUNT HM UP40
  ,TOM DIDN'T FEEL NO M 9TRU/ 9 HM NEI1
ONLY CURIOS;Y 6"K :AT -E ( HM2 B HE SD
WE'D LAY L[ & KEEP D>K & X WDN'T 2 L;G
TILL ! DOGS OR "SBODY R\/$ HM \4
  ,WE W5T BACK HOME 6BR1KFA/ "E S BO!R$
& PUT \ & 4APPO9T$ & SW9DL$4 ,I W>N'T "E
S D[N ON A CORPSE 2F4


