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"No, I was just" But the stranger had a point Tick should be outside on the first beautiful day of the year so far

"Well, off you go Not a o? Who--"

"Cheers, old boy Only a ht"

"Wait," Tick urged

The phone clicked and went silent

Chapter

28

A Meeting in the Woods

Tick told his o to the library, then headed out the door Though he didn’t need a jacket, he’d instinctively put on his scarf, which began to scratch and make him too warm before he’d made it past the driveway

Stupid scarf He loosened it, but he couldn’t bring himself to take it off

The cloudless sky was like a deep blue blanket draped across the world, not a bleht As much as Tick loved the winter and snow, even he had to admit it was about tihborhood and started down the road that led through the woods to town, Tick thought about the phone call he’d received Every instinct in his e--in fact, he realized he’d heard the voice once before On the tape of the third clue

Wow, he thought I just spoke with Master George

Master George!

Tick felt a shiver of exciterueling ain He just hoped he had chosen the right direction to take a walk, though he couldn’t think of another way that could possibly be classified as "the usual"

He was aler’s silly poeht shoulder A rock rattled across the pavement, and Tick looked into the woods across the street The last time someone had thrown a rock at hi hi his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice

No reply came, but a few seconds later another rock shot out, this ti him in the forehead "Ow!" he yelled "Do you really have to do that?"

"Yes!" a , Tick crossed the street and stepped into the forest