Something Wicked This Way Comes (23 page)

    And behind them jogged a middle-aged man with his own now solemn, now amiable, thoughts.

    Perhaps the boys slowed. They never knew. Perhaps Charles Halloway quickened his pace. He could not say.

    But, running even with the boys, the middle-aged man reached out.

    Will slapped, Jim slapped, Dad slapped the semaphore signal base at the same instant.

    Exultant, they banged a trio of shouts down the wind.

    Then, as the moon watched, the three of them together left the wilderness behind and walked into the town.