The Scarecrow Walks at Midnight Read Online Free Page B

use the exercise.
    A short while later, we finished circling and started walking along the dirt path that led past the cornfields to the creek. Stanley’s smile returned immediately.
    He really believes the superstitions in the book,
I realized.
    I wondered if Sticks believed them, too.
    “Where’s Sticks?” I asked, kicking a big clump of dirt across the path.
    “Doing chores,” Stanley replied. “Sticks is a good worker. A real good worker. But he’ll be along soon, I bet. Sticks never likes to miss out on a fishing trip.”
    The sun began to feel really strong on my faceand on my shoulders. I wondered if I should run back and get some sunblock.
    The dark-suited scarecrows appeared to stare at me as we walked past the tall rows of cornstalks. I could swear their dark painted faces turned to follow me as I went by.
    And did one of them lift its arm to wave a straw hand at me?
    I scolded myself for such stupid thoughts and turned my eyes away.
    Stop thinking about scarecrows, Jodie!
I told myself.
    Forget your bad dream. Forget about the dumb scarecrows.
    It’s a beautiful day, and you have nothing to worry about. Try to relax and have a good time.
    The path led into tall pine woods behind the cornfields. It got shady and much cooler as soon as we stepped into the woods.
    “Can’t we take a taxi the rest of the way?” Mark whined. A typical Mark joke. He really
would
take a taxi if there was one!
    Stanley shook his head. “City kids,” he muttered, grinning.
    The path ended, and we continued through the trees. It smelled so piney and fresh in the woods. I saw a tiny brown-and-white chipmunk dart into a hollow log.
    In the near distance I could hear the musical trickle of the creek.
    Suddenly, Stanley stopped. He bent and picked up a pinecone.
    The three fishing poles fell to the ground. He didn’t seem to notice. He held the pinecone close to his face, studying it.
    “A pinecone on the shady side means a long winter,” he said, turning the dry cone in his hand.
    Mark and I bent to pick up the poles. “Is that what the book says?” Mark asked.
    Stanley nodded. He set the pinecone down carefully where he found it.
    “The cone is still sticky. That’s a good sign,” he said seriously.
    Mark let out a giggle. I knew he was trying not to laugh at Stanley. But the giggle escaped somehow.
    Stanley’s big brown eyes filled with hurt. “It’s all true, Mark,” he said quietly. “It’s all true.”
    “I — I’d like to read that book,” Mark said, glancing at me.
    “It’s a very hard book,” Stanley replied. “I have trouble with some of the words.”
    “I can hear the creek,” I broke in, changing the subject. “Let’s go. I want to catch some fish before lunchtime.”
    The clear water felt cold against my legs. The smooth rocks of the creek bed were slippery under my bare feet.
    All three of us had waded into the shallow creek. Mark had wanted to lie down on the grassy shore to fish. But I convinced him it was much more fun — and much easier to catch something — if you stand in the water.
    “Yeah, I’ll catch something,” he grumbled as he rolled up the cuffs of his jeans. “I’ll catch pneumonia!”
    Stanley let out a loud laugh. It sounded like “Har! Har! Har!”
    He set the big picnic basket down carefully on the dry grass. Then he rolled up the legs of his denim overalls. Carrying a pole high in one hand, he stepped into the water.
    “Ooooh! It’s cold!” he cried, waving his arms above his head, nearly losing his balance on the slippery rocks.
    “Stanley — didn’t you forget something?” I called to him.
    He turned, confused. His big ears became bright red. “What did I forget, Jodie?”
    I pointed to his fishing pole. “How about some bait?” I called.
    He glanced at the empty hook on the end of his line. Then he made his way back to shore to get a worm to bait his hook.
    A few minutes later, all three of us were in the water. Mark complained at first about how cold