In chapter six of To Kill a Mockingbird, the boys get the idea that the last night of summer vacation would be the best time to sneak into the Radley's back yard to get a peek at Boo Radley. They didn't want to involve Scout because Jem thought she would mess things up, but she finds out and goes along anyway. Scout and Dill wait by the fence as Jem sneaks up on the...
In chapter six of To Kill a Mockingbird, the boys get the idea that the last night of summer vacation would be the best time to sneak into the Radley's back yard to get a peek at Boo Radley. They didn't want to involve Scout because Jem thought she would mess things up, but she finds out and goes along anyway. Scout and Dill wait by the fence as Jem sneaks up on the back porch to get a look in through a broken shutter. The kids see a shadow of a man with a hat through the window. The next thing they know, a man comes out onto the porch and walks very near Jem. When Jem gets a chance, he jumps off the porch and makes a run for the fence. Mr. Nathan Radley shoots his rifle into the air and the whole neighborhood comes out to see what the matter is.
Scout and Dill are able to crawl under the fence, but Jem gets caught. Scout explains:
"We ran back and found him struggling in the fence, kicking his pants off to get loose. He ran to the oak tree in his shorts. . . We ran across the schoolyard, crawled under the fence to Deer's Pasture behind our house, climbed our back fence and were at the back steps before Jem would let us pause to rest" (53-54).
The kids join the adults out front and everyone wants to know where Jem's pants are. Dill comes up with strip poker for an alibi. Miss Stephanie Crawford tells everyone that Mr. Nathan Radley said he shot at a black man in his backyard, so it would seem as if the kids are safe. The only problem is Jem's pants are stuck in the fence. Later that night, Jem tells Scout that he has to go back to get them or Atticus will find out what happened. Jem goes, but what he finds is his pants crudely mended and folded waiting for his return.
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