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“You don’t really know Dougie, do you?” she said

“Dougie who?” Pidge laughed

“Don’t hurt us —”

“No, no, Mrs J,” Pidge said, stuffing the sock back into his captive’s ame Our rules”

The kitten pounced into the heap of wrapping paper as the gifts were opened; the dias, Jablonsky praying that they would just take the stuff and leave Then he heard Pidge speak to Hawk, his voice more subdued than before, so that Jablonsky had to strain to hear over the blood pounding in his ears

“Well? Guilty or not guilty?” Pidge asked

Hawk’s voice was thoughtful “The J’s are living well, and if that’s the best revenge”

“You’re kidding us”

Pidge stepped over the pillowcase filled with the contents of the Jablonskys’ safe He spread the Bradbury book open on the lamp table with the span of his hand, then picked up a pen and carefully printed on the title page

Pidge read it back “Sic erat in fatis, o”

Hawk bent over, said, “Sorry, dude Mrs Dude” He took the sock out of Jablonsky’s y”

Henry Jablonsky’s ? And then he realized He could speak! He screaht yellow glare, then went up in a great exhalation of flame

VOOOOOOM

Heat rose and the skin on Henry Jablonsky’s cheeks dried like paper S before curling over and soaking up the light

“Don’t leave us!”