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“Yes, Mr. Sir.”
“What happened to all the sunflower seeds?”
“I ate them.”
“By yourself.”
“Yes, Mr. Sir.”
“Hey, Caveman!” shouted Armpit. “How come you didn’t share any with us?”
“That’s cold, man,” said X-Ray.
“I thought you were our friend,” said Magnet.
Mr. Sir looked around from one boy to another, then back to Stanley. “We’ll see what the Warden has to say about this. Let’s go.”
Stanley climbed up out of his hole and followed Mr. Sir to the truck. He still held the empty sack.
It felt good to sit inside the truck, out of the direct rays of the sun. Stanley was surprised he could feel good about anything at the moment, but he did. It felt good to sit down on a comfortable seat for a change. And as the truck bounced along the dirt, he was able to appreciate the air blowing through the open window onto his hot and sweaty face.
20
It felt good to walk in the shade of the two oak trees. Stanley wondered if this was how a condemned man felt on his way to the electric chair—appreciating all of the good things in life for the last time.
They had to step around holes to get to the cabin door. Stanley was surprised to see so many around the cabin. He would have expected the Warden to not want the campers digging so close to her home. But several holes were right up against the cabin wall. The holes were closer together here as well, and were of different shapes and sizes.
Mr. Sir knocked on the door. Stanley still held the empty sack.
“Yes?” the Warden said, opening the door.
“There’s been a little trouble out on the lake,” Mr. Sir said. “Caveman will tell you all about it.”
The Warden stared at Mr. Sir a moment, then her gaze turned toward Stanley. He felt nothing but dread now.
“Come in, I suppose,” said the Warden. “You’re letting the cold out.”
It was air-conditioned inside her cabin. The television was going. She picked up the remote and turned it off.
She sat down on a canvas chair. She was barefoot and wearing shorts. Her legs were as freckled as her face and arms.
“So what is it you have to tell me?”
Stanley took a breath to steady himself. “While Mr. Sir was filling the canteens, I snuck into the truck and stole his sack of sunflower seeds.”
“I see.” She turned to Mr. Sir. “That’s why you brought him here?”
“Yes, but I think he’s lying. I think someone else stole the sack, and Caveman is c
overing up for X-Ray or somebody. It was a twenty-pound sack, and he claims to have eaten them all by himself.” He took the sack from Stanley and handed it to the Warden.
“I see,” the Warden said again.
“The sack wasn’t full,” said Stanley. “And I spilled a lot. You can check my hole.”
“In that room, Caveman, there’s a small flowered case. Will you get it for me, please?” She pointed to a door.
Stanley looked at the door, then at the Warden, then back at the door. He slowly walked toward it.
