yordaddyhome?Imlookingforsomeonewholivesaroundhere.DoyouknowtheBlakeshouse?"

    "Itshaunted,"saidtheyoungersister.Shelackedtwofrohandspoke.

    "Shesawitch,mister."Theoldersistermayhavebeenarouick-thinandraven-haired,withdarkcirclesaroundhereyes.Ifanyonewouldknowaboutwitches,itwasthisone."Whydoyouwanttogoseeawitch,mister?"

    Iputoostep."BecauseImagoblin."

    Theybothgrinnedfromeartoear.Theoldersisterdirectedmetolookforaturnbeforethereeter,ahiddenalleywaythatwasreallyalane."ItscalledAsteriskWay,"shesaid,"becauseitstoosmalltohavearealname."

    "Areyougoingtogobbleherup?"thesmalleroneasked.

    "Imgoingtogobbleherupandspitoutthebones.YouebyonHalloweennightandmakeyourselfaskeleton."Theyturnedandlookedateachother,smilinggleefully.

    AninvasionofsumadrownboxwoodobscuredAsteriskWay.Whenthecarbegantoscrapehedgesonbothsides,Igotoutandwalked.Half-hiddenhouseswerescatteredaloe,andlastowasaweatheredfoursquarewithBLAKEonthemailbox.Obscuredbytheshrubs,apairsflashedinfrontofme,ragacrosstheyard,andthenasedsomeoledthroughthebushes.Ithoughtthehorridlittlesistershadfollowedme,butthenathirdmovementinthebrushuledme.Ireachedformycarkeysandnearlydesertedthatdarkplace,buthavingesofar,Ikhefrontdoor.

    Awomanwithathieofwhitehairswuhedoor.Dressedsimplyincrisplineoodtallainthedoorway,hereyesbrightandsearg,andweleintoherhome."HenryDay,anytroublefindingtheplace?"NewEnglandechoedf