wspaceexistedbehefloorboards.Maybeoneormoreofthefiendstoiledbelow,hatgplotsandtrickstofurthersavagemylife.Aslightred-hairedboywhistledbehindmybadIquicklystood,stampeddownonthelid,aawaywithoutaword.

    Thatboymademeanxious,soIwentoutandstayedontheplaygrounduntilthelibraryclosed.Theyounglibrariannoticedmeontheswi,butsheturnedaretetocare.Aloneagain,Isearchedthegroundsforevideheyhadfollowedmetothelibrary,theymusthavedugaholeorfouentrancewayintothebuilding.Onmythirdtriparoundthebuilding,intheshadowsofthesun,Isawhim.Behindthebackstairs,hesqueezedoutthroughacrathefoundationlikeababybeingbornandstoodthereforamoment,blinkinginthefadinglight.Afraidthathemightattackme,Ilookedleftandrightforanescaperoute.Heralyatme,asiftoseizemythroatinhisjaws,andthendartedawayasquicklyasabirdinflight,toofastformetoseehimclearly,butthereisnodoubtwhoitwas.Ahobgoblihedangerpassed,Icouldnotkeepfromlaughing.

    Nervousforhours,Idrovearoundandfoundmyselfatmymother’splaearmidnight.Whileshesleptupstairs,Icreptthroughthehousegatheringsupplies:acarpetknife,anironcrowbar,andacoilrope.Fromtheoldbarn,Istolemyfathersakerosenecampinglamp,itswirehayandcoldtothetouch.ThewicksputteredwhenItriedtolightthelamp,butitcametolifeandsuffusedthelong-ederwithahlyglow.

    Insomniagrippedmethoselastfewhours,mymindandbodypfusiuntilthedeedwasdohepredawngloom,Iwentbadmemorizedthelayoutofthebuilding,figuringoutstepbystepwhatIwasgoingtodo.Patienearlydesertedme.Thegoblinmighthavebeenspooked,soIwentaboutmybusinessasifnothingha