Elizabeth smiled down at the child beside her and reached down to take his hand.
“I’ll tell you what,” she said softly. “I’ll try to find out what happened this afternoon. Can you come over to my house at four thirty?”
“I don’t know,” Jimmy said doubtfully. “Why don’t you call me? My mother doesn’t usually let me go outside that late. It’s starting to get dark by then now, and she doesn’t like me to be outside in the dark.”
“If you want to know what happened in the woods,” Elizabeth said enticingly, “come over at four thirty. It won’t be dark till after five. Besides, Sarah wants to play with you.”
“How do you know?” Jimmy said truculently. “Sarah can’t talk.”
“I just know,” Elizabeth said. “You be here by four thirty, and I’ll tell you about why the woods are haunted.”
“All right,” Jimmy agreed finally. “But it better be good. I don’t believe in ghosts.” He started to walk away.
“By the mailbox,” Elizabeth called after him. “Meet us by the mailbox.” Jimmy Tyler nodded and waved, and Elizabeth watched him continue down the road. She wondered what she’d tell him that afternoon, and why she’d told him the woods were haunted at all. It occurred to her that it was a silly thing to say. Jimmy was right, of course. There was no such thing as ghosts. Well, she’d make up some kind of story, and at least Sarah would have someone besides herself to play with. That would be nice.
At four thirty Elizabeth and Sarah were waiting by the mailbox that stood across the road from the end of the Congers’ long driveway. Elizabeth saw the small form of Jimmy Tyler trudging toward them and waved. He returned the wave.
“See?” Elizabeth said to Sarah. “Here he comes, just like I told you.”
Sarah stared at Elizabeth, and there was nothing in the huge brown eyes that told Elizabeth that her younger sister had even heard her. But she knew she had. She smiled at Sarah, but Sarah still did not respond. She simply stood, patiently waiting, as Jimmy Tyler approached.
“I can’t stay very long,” Jimmy said when he caught up with the girls. “My mother told me I have to be in before it gets dark.” He glanced at the sun, which was falling steadily toward the horizon behind them.
“Let’s go out in the field,” Elizabeth suggested. “Let’s play tag.”
“Does Sarah know how?” Jimmy said, neither knowing nor caring whether the subject of his question could hear or understand him. Elizabeth looked at him reproachfully.
“Of course she does,” Elizabeth said. “And you’d better hope you’re never It, because she can run a lot faster than you. She can even run faster than me.”
“Who is going to be It?” Jimmy wanted to know.
“I will be,” Elizabeth said. “I’ll give you both till I count to five to get away. One—two—three—” Jimmy Tyler was already bounding across the field. Sarah simply stood there, looking at her sister. Elizabeth stopped counting and put her hands gently on Sarah’s shoulders, bending her knees a little so she was on the same level as the smaller girl.
“We’re going to play tag,” she said softly. “And I’m It. You have to get away from me.” Sarah seemed not to hear for a moment; then she bolted suddenly, as if the idea had at last penetrated her mind, taking off across the field in the direction that Jimmy Tyler had taken. “Four—five!” Elizabeth called out the last number and set off after the two other children.
She knew she could catch either of them whenever she wanted to, but she didn’t try too hard. They seemed to be enjoying dodging away from her, and a couple of times she deliberately let her foot slip when she was only inches from one of them, and listened to Jimmy laugh as she tumbled to the ground. Then, when she sensed Jimmy’s interest in the game lagging, she suddenly caught up with him. “You’re It,” she cried, dashing away from him. He stopped suddenly, as if stunned at the turn the game had taken. Then he grinned happily and set off after Sarah.
Sarah played the game with a determination not to be found in other children. When Jimmy ran toward her, she turned and fled from him at a dead run, her head bent forward, her small legs pumping beneath her steadily. It was quickly obvious that Jimmy didn’t stand a chance of catching up with her.