Free John Fitzgerald by Me, My Little Brain

already said his prayers."
        I got out of bed so Mamma could put Frankie
on the inside next to the wall after she had kissed him good night. She waited
until I got back in bed and then turned off the light.
        "Good night, Frankie," I said
after Mamma had left the room.
        "This is my bed," Frankie said,
instead of saying good night.
        I sat up. "This was my bed before you
were born," I said. "Now stop trying to be funny and go to
sleep."
        He sat up in bed and folded his arms on his
chest. "You get out of my bed," he said.
        I lay back down. "Stop being silly and
go to sleep," I told him.
        Then I felt his hands on my back. And I'm
darned if he didn't try to roll me out of the bed. I was about to really tell
him off when I remembered what Papa had told me. I got out of bed and turned on
the light. There was another bed m the room, where Tom had slept before he went
away to school. But there weren't any sheets, blankets, and pillowcase on it. I
put on my robe and went down to the parlor.
        "Why did you leave Frankie
alone?" Mamma demanded. "And why aren't you in bed?"
        "Because he said it was his bed and
told me to get out of it," I said. "Give me a couple of sheets and a
blanket and pillowcase and I'll sleep in Tom's bed. Papa said I had to humor
Frankie."
        Papa had evidently told Mamma what he had
told me. She got up and went to the linen closet. She came back with the
bedclothes in her arms.
    "Want me to
make up the bed for you?" she asked.
        "No, thanks," I said as I took
the armful of bedclothes. "I can do it."
        I went back up to my room. Frankie lay in
my bed, smiling, as he watched me make up Tom's bed. He looked so darn smug
about it that I decided to teach him a lesson. I turned out the light and stood
by the window. He didn't say anything until I'd stood there for a couple of
minutes.

" Whatcha doing, John?" he asked.
        "There is a full moon tonight," I
said, making my voice quiver a little.
        "You sound scared," he said.
"Why are you afraid of the full moon?"
        "I'm not afraid for myself," I
said, "because I'm too old for the ghost."
        He sat up in bed. "What ghost?"
he asked, and I knew from the sound of his voice that he was frightened.
        "The ghost of Silverlode comes up from his grave every night there is a full moon," I said.
"He goes from house to house in Adenville until
he finds a little boy sleeping all alone. He takes the little boy back to his
grave with him."
        I paused dramatically. "And the little
boy is never seen or heard from again."
        Then I got into Tom's bed. I knew I'd
thrown a good scare into Frankie because he was still sitting up in bed. I
couldn't help laughing, smothering the sound in my pillow. It served him right
for making me take a bath first and taking my bed.
    "John,"
he said softly.
        "Shut up and go to sleep," I
said. "You got your bed all by yourself just like you wanted."
    "You can
sleep in my bed with me if you want," he said.
        "I don't ever want to sleep in your
bed," I said. "Go to sleep. Maybe the ghost won't come to our house
tonight."
    "But maybe
he will," Frankie cried softly.
        "I'll know in the morning," I
said. "If you are missing, I'll know the ghost got you and took you back
to his grave with him. I'm going to sleep now. Good night."
        I pretended to fall asleep by snoring. I
heard Frankie begin to whimper. I opened one eye. I could see him still sitting
up in bed. There was enough moonlight streaming through the window for me to
see tears toppling down both his cheeks. It wasn't funny any more. The little
fellow was scared to death. I watched him get out of bed. He came over and
stood by my bed. Then he climbed into bed with me and put his arms around me and
snuggled up close.
    "Please
don't let the ghost get me, John," he cried.
        I couldn't take it any longer. I put my arm
around him and hugged him. Then I thought of the