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           Wewenthome.Nextmorningthetwinewaswherewehadleftit.Whenitwasstillthereonthethirdday,Jempocketedit.Fromthenon,weconsideredeverythingwefoundintheknot-holeourproperty.—

           Thesecondgradewasgrim,butJemuredmethattheolderIgotthebetterschoolwouldbe,thathestartedoffthesameway,anditwasnotuntilonereachedthesixthgradethatonelearnedanythingofvalue.Thesixthgradeseemedtopleasehimfromthebeginning:hewentthroughabriefEgyptianPeriodthatbaffledme—hetriedtowalkflatagreatdeal,stickingonearminfrontofhimandoneinbackofhim,puttingonefootbehindtheother.HedeclaredEgyptianswalkedthatway;IsaidiftheydidIdidn’tseehowtheygotanythingdone,butJemsaidtheyaccomplishedmorethantheAmericanseverdid,theyinventedtoiletpaperandperpetualembalming,andaskedwherewouldwebetodayiftheyhadn’t?AtticustoldmetodeletetheadjectivesandI’dhavethefacts.

           TherearenoclearlydefinedseasonsinSouthAlabama;summerdriftsintoautumn,andautumnissometimesneverfollowedbywinter,butturnstoadays-oldspringthatmeltsintosummeragain.Thatfallwasalongone,hardlycoolenoughforalightjacket.JemandIweretrottinginourorbitonemildOctoberafternoonwhenourknot-holestoppedusagain.Somethingwhitewasinsidethistime.

           Jemletmedothehonors:Ipulledouttwosmallimagescarvedinsoap.Onewasthefigureofaboy,theotherworeacrudedress.

           BeforeIrememberedthattherewasnosuchthingashoo-dooing,Ishriekedandthrewthemdown.

           Jemsnatchedthemup."What’sthematterwithyou?"heyelled.Herubbedthefiguresfreeofreddust.