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Chapter 26
«Say,Pa,afterweeatI’ma-gonnawalkoutan’seewhatallthatfussisoutsidethegate.It’sbeena-workin’onme.Wantacome?»
«No,"saidPa.«Iliketohavealittlewhiletojus’workan’notthinkaboutnothin’.SeemslikeIjus’beenbeatin’mybrainstodeathforahellofalongtime.No,I’mgonnasetawhile,an’thengotobed.»
«How’boutyou,Al?»Allookedaway.«GuessI’lllookaroun’inhere,first.»hesaid.«Well,IknowUncleJohnwon’tcome.GuessI’llgoheralone.Gotmeallcurious.»Pasaid,«I’llgetahellofalotcuriouser’foreI’lldoanythingaboutit—withallthemcopsoutthere.»
«Maybetheyain’tthereatnight,"Tomsuggested.«Well,Iain’tgonnafindout.An’youbetternottellMawhereyou’rea-goin’.She’lljus’squirtherheadoffworryin’.»TomturnedtoAl.«Ain’tyoucurious?»
«GuessI’lljes’lookaroun’thisherecamp,"Alsaid.«Lookin’forgirls,huh?»
«Mindin’myownbusiness,"Alsaidacidly.«I’mstilla-goin’,"saidTom.Theyemergedfromtheorchardintothedustystreetbetweentheredshacks.Thelowyellowlightofkerosenelanternsshonefromsomeofthedoorways,andinside,inthehalf-gloom,theblackshapesofpeoplemovedabout.Attheendofthestreetaguardstillsat,hisshotgunrestingagainsthisknee.
Tompausedashepassedtheguard.«Gotaplacewhereafellacangetabath,mister?»Theguardstudiedhiminthehalf-light.Atlasthesaid,«Seethatwatertank?»
«Yeah.
