Free Preacher's Boy by Katherine Paterson

snapped the words out.
    He was quiet for a minute, looking me over. "That's good," he said. I thought he was about to add
Ain't it?
But Willie has got sense enough not to push things. I like that quality in Willie; also that he is loyal. A friend who is loyal
and
knows when to shut up is as rare as a hippo in Cutter's Pond.
    We didn't catch anything. The spring drought had been hard on fish and fishermen alike. We stayed, though, until the sun and our bellies told us that it was time for dinner.
    Funny, looking back, I never mentioned to Willie anything about the cabin or its new "owners." You'd think I would have, that Willie deserved to know. Was I planning mischief even then? Something I'd be ashamed for Willie to know about? I don't think so. I just didn't quite get around to mentioning it. That's all. That's no crime, is it?

6. The Intruders
    I N L EONARDSTOWN MOST FOLKS HAVE THEIR BIG MEAL in the middle of the day. The stoneworkers carry their dinner in pails to the quarry or to the shed, but originally this was a farm community, and farmers come in from the fields after a long morning of work. They need plenty to fuel themselves up for the rest of the day. Nobody in our house does farm work, but we follow the customs of the town. It makes us more a part of the community, though to tell the truth, we've never been quite a part of it. Neither of my parents was born here, for one thing. There are no grandparents or aunts and uncles in easy hailing distance when things go wrong or you want to celebrate. Pa's parents are both dead, and Ma's live up in the northeast corner of the state, away from the rail line. It's a long day's journey from here.
    The family had already gathered around the table
when I got home. I scurried for my place, which is next to Beth's, at the kitchen table. As I sat down, she pinched her nose, her little finger curling in the air like a comma. "Phew," she said.
    "Elizabeth!" Ma was shocked to hear Beth using such an unladylike word.
    "I can't help it, Mama. Please make him change. He smells like a dead fish."
    "How could I? I didn't catch nothin'."
    "Anything," said Pa.
    I think Ma was more annoyed at Beth than she was at me, but she made me go change anyhow. Honest, sometimes the burden of having a sister who's a lady-in-training is more than a boy should have to bear.
    Ma had fixed up beans and boiled some ham, almost like it was still a holiday. We all tried to eat to please her, but it was a hot day and no one was really hungry. Except Elliot. Ma watched him shovel in those beans, her eyes shining like she was proud of some big accomplishment the boy had managed.
    Pa made appreciative noises over the food, but I could tell he was no hungrier than me. There were dark shadows under his eyes, making them look old and puffy. Whether from lack of sleep or crying I didn't want to guess. I kept harping on those tears. I didn't mean to, but it really shook me to see my pa so small and scared, a little boy who's hurt and running to his ma.
    Beth kept turning and giving me queer looks.
    "What?" I said finally. She was making me feel prickly and guilty.
    Everyone turned to me like I needed to explain myself. "Tell Beth to stop looking at me," I said. I
couldn't believe the stupid words that just jumped out of my mouth. I turned as red as a flag stripe.
    "I can't help looking," she said sarcastically. "You're just too pretty for words."
    I jumped up from the table. Pretty? I've given bloody noses for less than that.
    "Sit down, Robbie," Pa said quietly. "And calm down, both of you." I gave Beth a smirk, in case she missed the point that I wasn't the only one out of line.

    Willie couldn't fish after dinner. His aunt had him working the vegetable patch. Sometimes I help Willie with his chores, but that day I just couldn't make myself. Elliot was going to help Pa in our garden, so I wasn't needed at home. Or wanted. At least that was the way I was seeing it.
    Without thinking, I headed back up to the