Lewis,” she said. “He’s not angry at you. But he does have a lot on his mind these days, and he hasn’t been getting much sleep. Come on over to my house and we’ll have a game of chess.”
“Okay.” Lewis was grateful for the suggestion.
They played chess till ten o’clock at night and, since Lewis won most of the games, he was in a happy mood when he went home. Upstairs he saw a line of light under the door of Jonathan’s bedroom. He decided not to disturb him. When he had gotten ready for bed, Lewis went to his window seat, sat down, and pulled back the heavy curtain.
It was a bright, cold, starry night. The water tower at the top of the hill glimmered in the moonlight, and the roofs of the houses were dark pointed shadows. There were lights on in the houses that stood on either side of the Hanchett house and, in one window, Lewis saw the gray aquarium-glow of one of those new television sets. Jonathan hadn’t gotten one yet. The Hanchett house seemed to lie in deep shadow, except for faint patches of moonlight on the roof. By the light of a street lamp, Lewis could see that there was a car parked in the driveway.
He was about to close the curtain and go to bed when the porch light of the Hanchett house came on. The two frosted panes of the front door glowed yellow. Then one of the panels of the door moved inward. Someone stepped out onto the front stoop. Lewis watched as whoever-it-was stood there, just stood there, taking in the frosty air of the December night. He thought he caught the faint glitter of spectacles, but he couldn’t be sure at this distance.
After a little while, the dark figure went inside and pushed the door shut. The hall light went out. Lewis sat there for a while thinking, then he lowered the curtain and went to bed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next day Jonathan was helping Lewis rummage in the front hall closet for his ice skates. Lewis had weak ankles, and he was terrified of falling down on the ice, but he had decided to try to learn to skate. If he got good enough he might be able to worm his way back into Tarby’s favor. He had never seen Tarby ice skate, but he was sure that the team’s greatest home-run hitter was also the champion ice skater of New Zebedee. He probably could sign his name across the ice of Durgy’s Pond.
So Lewis and Jonathan threw warped badminton rackets, raccoon coats, galoshes, and picnic baskets into the hall. Finally Jonathan came up with what looked likea short aluminum ski for a midget. It was a beginner’s skate, with two little ridges for runners.
“This it?”
“That’s one of them. Thanks a lot, Uncle Jonathan. Now all we need is the other.”
As they went on searching Lewis said, in what he thought was a casual way, “Who’s living in the old Hanchett house?”
Jonathan stood up suddenly in the closet and banged his head on a shelf. When he had stopped rubbing his head and wincing, he looked down at Lewis and said, rather sharply, “Why do you want to know?”
“I just wanted to know,” said Lewis shyly. Once again, he wondered what his uncle was angry about.
Jonathan stepped out of the closet with the other skate. He dropped it into a pile of clothes.
“So you just wanted to know, eh? Well, Lewis, there are some things it would be better for you
not
to know. So if you’ll take my advice, you’ll just stop poking around where you’re not wanted. There’s your other skate and . . . and good day. I have work to do in the study, and I’ve already wasted enough time answering your foolish questions.”
Jonathan got up abruptly and stalked off to the study. He had slid back the doors with a loud clatter when he paused and went back to the closet, where Lewis was still kneeling with tears in his eyes.
“Please forgive me, Lewis,” said Jonathan in a tiredvoice. “I’ve been feeling really rotten lately. Too many cigars, I guess. As for the house across the street, I hear that it’s been rented to an old lady named Mrs.
“Okay.” Lewis was grateful for the suggestion.
They played chess till ten o’clock at night and, since Lewis won most of the games, he was in a happy mood when he went home. Upstairs he saw a line of light under the door of Jonathan’s bedroom. He decided not to disturb him. When he had gotten ready for bed, Lewis went to his window seat, sat down, and pulled back the heavy curtain.
It was a bright, cold, starry night. The water tower at the top of the hill glimmered in the moonlight, and the roofs of the houses were dark pointed shadows. There were lights on in the houses that stood on either side of the Hanchett house and, in one window, Lewis saw the gray aquarium-glow of one of those new television sets. Jonathan hadn’t gotten one yet. The Hanchett house seemed to lie in deep shadow, except for faint patches of moonlight on the roof. By the light of a street lamp, Lewis could see that there was a car parked in the driveway.
He was about to close the curtain and go to bed when the porch light of the Hanchett house came on. The two frosted panes of the front door glowed yellow. Then one of the panels of the door moved inward. Someone stepped out onto the front stoop. Lewis watched as whoever-it-was stood there, just stood there, taking in the frosty air of the December night. He thought he caught the faint glitter of spectacles, but he couldn’t be sure at this distance.
After a little while, the dark figure went inside and pushed the door shut. The hall light went out. Lewis sat there for a while thinking, then he lowered the curtain and went to bed.
CHAPTER EIGHT
The next day Jonathan was helping Lewis rummage in the front hall closet for his ice skates. Lewis had weak ankles, and he was terrified of falling down on the ice, but he had decided to try to learn to skate. If he got good enough he might be able to worm his way back into Tarby’s favor. He had never seen Tarby ice skate, but he was sure that the team’s greatest home-run hitter was also the champion ice skater of New Zebedee. He probably could sign his name across the ice of Durgy’s Pond.
So Lewis and Jonathan threw warped badminton rackets, raccoon coats, galoshes, and picnic baskets into the hall. Finally Jonathan came up with what looked likea short aluminum ski for a midget. It was a beginner’s skate, with two little ridges for runners.
“This it?”
“That’s one of them. Thanks a lot, Uncle Jonathan. Now all we need is the other.”
As they went on searching Lewis said, in what he thought was a casual way, “Who’s living in the old Hanchett house?”
Jonathan stood up suddenly in the closet and banged his head on a shelf. When he had stopped rubbing his head and wincing, he looked down at Lewis and said, rather sharply, “Why do you want to know?”
“I just wanted to know,” said Lewis shyly. Once again, he wondered what his uncle was angry about.
Jonathan stepped out of the closet with the other skate. He dropped it into a pile of clothes.
“So you just wanted to know, eh? Well, Lewis, there are some things it would be better for you
not
to know. So if you’ll take my advice, you’ll just stop poking around where you’re not wanted. There’s your other skate and . . . and good day. I have work to do in the study, and I’ve already wasted enough time answering your foolish questions.”
Jonathan got up abruptly and stalked off to the study. He had slid back the doors with a loud clatter when he paused and went back to the closet, where Lewis was still kneeling with tears in his eyes.
“Please forgive me, Lewis,” said Jonathan in a tiredvoice. “I’ve been feeling really rotten lately. Too many cigars, I guess. As for the house across the street, I hear that it’s been rented to an old lady named Mrs.
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