Snyder, Zilpha Keatley by The Egypt Game [txt] Page B

game!” Ken said. “This game? Are you kidding? We could make a deal about using the yard
    no-like for-” he paused and glanced around, “-foursquare or handball or something, but-” He caught a glimpse of Toby’s face, and his voice trailed off. Toby was lit up like a pinball machine. Ken shrugged philosophically. “Okay,” he said. “So we’re Egyptians. It figures.”
    From then on things happened fast. Toby made everybody take a solemn oath not to tell where they’d been, even if they’d been missed and people started asking questions. Then, there was a brief crisis over getting Toby out of the yard. He wouldn’t fit through the hole in the fence with his boxes on, and the big box the boys had used for climbing over was too big and heavy to throw into the yard. He couldn’t take his costume off because he didn’t think he could get back into it without his dad’s help, and it wouldn’t be wise to rejoin the Trick-or-Treat group in pieces. Finally he lay down on the ground and had everybody stomp on him, more or less gently (less, in the case of April who was still mad) until the boxes were flattened enough to squeeze through the hole. Afterwards, they tried to square him back up, but he never did look quite the same.
    As soon as they’d carried off the boxes the boys had piled up to climb on, they started off after the Trick-or-Treat group. Fortunately Ken knew the line of march, and since they didn’t stop at any houses,
    it wasn’t too long until they caught up. They even had time to collect a few more treats before it was time to go home.
    But it would have taken more than a few pieces of cheap candy to console April and Melanie, After they got the two smaller kids uncostumed and sent home, they sat on April’s bed and stared at each other gloomily.
    “What are we going to do?” April said finally. “We just can’t play with those-those-boys there.”
    “I don’t see how we can, either,” Melanie said. “But what else can we do? You know what will happen if we try to keep them out. We can try to play it, anyway. Then, if they’re just too awful, I guess we’ll have to give the whole thing up.”
    It was a terrible thought. For a few minutes the two girls contemplated the possibility in mournful silence. At last, in a more cheerful voice, Melanie said, “Well, at least we don’t have to give it up yet, thanks to Elizabeth. If she hadn’t had that idea, I’ll bet those jerks would have finked on us right away, just for the fun of it.”
    “Yeah,” April said wonderingly. “How about that Elizabeth! How’d a little kid like that know how to handle those two creeps? I’m pretty good at handling adults and people like that, but boys! Yick!”
    Melanie grinned. “You know? It’s sort of like what you do in ‘non-violence.’ My Mom says it’s appealing to their better natures.”
    “Better natures, phooey!” April said, wrinkling up her nose.

Moods and Maybes
    THE NEXT DAY AT RECESS TOBY ALVILLAR SIDLED UP
    to Melanie and April. Before he started talking, he looked around quickly to be sure no one who mattered was looking. Ken and Toby didn’t believe in talking to girls. Of course, it was all right to make comments at girls-particularly if they were insults-but real conversations were out, at least in public places.
    “When are you guys going ‘you know where’ again?” he asked, sort of out of the corner of his mouth.
    “I don’t know,” Melanie answered. “We’re not supposed to go there at all, yet. They’re still not letting us play outside because of the murder and everything. But my folks are weakening, I think.”
    “Caroline says I can start playing outside again as

Moods and Maybes
    soon as Melanie can,” April said.
    “Well look. Ken and I won’t go there until Friday,” Toby said. “Try to get your folks to spring you by then. Okay?”
    April and Melanie exchanged surprised glances. “Oh, we’re not just being boy-scouty,” Toby said. “My Dad