Chapter 17
Under the Stars, June 12, 1936
- Abilene shares everything she hears from Miss Sadie with Lettie and Ruthanne. Well, duh. They're BFFs now.
- They think her curse is what ruined Mrs. Larkins's quilt. Creepy.
- The three of them are actually on an errand for Miss Sadie right now. She told Abilene to go find a young cottonwood tree at moonlight and to keep her eyes open. Okay…
- She gave her a bucket to bring back whatever it is she'll find. Hmmm… also creepy.
- They find a grove, sit down, and sing and share the food they brought to pass the time.
- Ruthanne starts to tell a spooky story about the time her uncle saw a man getting chased by a ghost rattling through the woods.
- The man was so scared that he backed into an animal trap. But when her uncle came back the next day, they only found a boot in the trap—with the foot still in it. (Ahhh!)
- Since then, people say they sometimes hear the ghost rattling through the woods at night. Gulp.
- Abilene wonders if the ghost is the Rattler they've been looking for.
- And then they see what Miss Sadie sent them for: suddenly, hundreds of big juicy worms have appeared in the dirt by the young trees. Whoa.
- They gather a bucketful, and then Lettie and Ruthanne accompany Abilene home to spend the night. (Worm parties rock.)
- As Abilene falls asleep, she thinks about the power that stories have.
LETTER FROM PVT. NED GILLEN
- Ned tells Jinx that a lot of the guys in the camp are sick, but he's been taking Velma T.'s medicines, and is still doing okay.
HATTIE MAE'S NEWS AUXILIARY: May 30, 1918
- This year's senior class has just graduated, but since some of the senior boys are already soldiers, they weren't able to be there.
- The girls are raising money for them, though, and Velma T. is recruiting chemistry students to help her make more of her elixir for them.
- Old St. Jack's Lumbago Liniment: It may stain your skin, but it stops your pain. (Supposedly…)