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           bottledandcappedandscentedwiththyme,allthatyouwantofairforadime!"

           Attheendofthisthewagonwasatthecurb.Andsomeonestoodintheyard,treadinghisshadow,carryingtwobeetle-greenbottleswhichglitteredlikecats’eyes.Mr.Jonaslookedatthecotthereandcalledtheboy’snameonce,twice,threetimes,softly.Mr.Jonasswayedinindecision,lookedatthebottleshecarried,madehisdecision,andmovedforwardstealthilytositonthegrassandlookatthisboycrusheddownbythegreatweightofsummer.

           "Doug,"hesaid,"youjustliequiet.Youdon’thavetosayanythingoropenyoureyes.Youdon’tevenhavetopretendtolisten.Butinsidethere,Iknowyouhearme,andit’soldJonas,yourfriend.Yourfriend,"herepeatedandnodded.

           Hereachedupandpickedanappleoffthetree,turneditround,tookabite,chewed,andcontinued.

           "Somepeopleturnsadawfullyyoung,"hesaid."Nospecialreason,itseems,buttheyseemalmosttobebornthatway.Theybruiseeasier,tirefaster,cryquicker,rememberlongerand,asIsay,getsadderyoungerthananyoneelseintheworld.Iknow,forI’moneofthem."

           Hetookanotherbiteoftheappleandchewedit.

           "Well,now,wherearewe?"heasked.

           "Ahotnight,notabreathstirring,inAugust,"heansweredhimself."Killinghot.Andalongsummerit’sbeenandtoomuchhappening,eh?Toomuch.Andit’sgettingontowardoneo’clockandnosignofawindorrain.AndinamomentnowI’mgoingtogetupandgo.