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Chapter 27
Idenyhavingtakenpartinsuchathing.
"Iheard‘em!"wasthecrythatawoketheMissesBarber’sneighborsatdawnnextmorning."Heard‘emdriveatruckuptothedoor!Stompedaroundlikehorses.They’reinNewOrleansbynow!"
MissTuttiwassurethosetravelingfursellerswhocamethroughtowntwodaysagohadpurloinedtheirfurniture."Da-rktheywere,"shesaid."Syrians."
Mr.HeckTatewassummoned.Hesurveyedtheareaandsaidhethoughtitwasalocaljob.MissFruttisaidshe’dknowaMaycombvoiceanywhere,andtherewerenoMaycombvoicesinthatparlorlastnight—rollingtheirr’salloverherpremises,theywere.Nothinglessthanthebloodhoundsmustbeusedtolocatetheirfurniture,MissTuttiinsisted,soMr.Tatewasobligedtogotenmilesouttheroad,roundupthecountyhounds,andputthemonthetrail.
Mr.TatestartedthemoffattheMissesBarber’sfrontsteps,butalltheydidwasrunaroundtothebackofthehouseandhowlatthecellardoor.WhenMr.Tatesettheminmotionthreetimes,hefinallyguessedthetruth.Bynoontimethatday,therewasnotabarefootedchildtobeseeninMaycombandnobodytookoffhisshoesuntilthehoundswerereturned.
SotheMaycombladiessaidthingswouldbedifferentthisyear.Thehigh-schoolauditoriumwouldbeopen,therewouldbeapageantforthegrown-ups;apple-bobbing,taffy-pulling,pinningthetailonthedonkeyforthechildren.Therewouldalsobeaprizeoftwenty-fivecentsforthebestHalloweencostume,createdbythewearer.
JemandIbothgroaned.
