Farewell Summer ~ Ray Bradbury - Marimarister

―Tell you what,‖ said Tom. ―Why don‘t I go in now and hide in the men‘s until
everyone‘s gone home? Then I‘ll sneak upstairs and let you in one of the windows near the clock
tower. Up there, on the third floor.‖ He pointed to a spot high up the ancient brick walls.
―Hey!‖ said all the gang.
―That won‘t work,‖ said Doug.
―Why not?‖ said Tom.
Before Doug had time to think of a reason, Charlie piped up.
―Sure it‘ll work,‖ said Charlie. ―Tom‘s right. Tom, you want to go in and hide now?‖
―Sure,‖ said Tom.
Everyone was looking at Doug, still their general, and he had to give his approval.
―What I don‘t like,‖ said Doug, ―is smart alecks who think they know everything. Okay,
go in and hide. When it gets dark, let us in.‖
―Okay,‖ said Tom.
And he was gone.
People were coming out through the big bronze doors and Doug and the others pulled
back around the corner of the building and waited for the sun to go down.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
The courthouse was finally completely quiet and the night was dark and the boys climbed
up the fire escape on the side of the building, very quietly, until they got up to the third floor,
near the clock tower.
They stopped at the window where Tom was supposed to appear, but no one was there.
―Gosh,‖ said Doug. ―I hope he didn‘t get locked in the men‘s room.‖
―They never lock the men‘s room,‖ said Charlie. ―He‘ll be here.‖
And sure enough, all of a sudden, there was Tom behind the glass pane, waving to them