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his teeth。 Something scratched down into his throat； and he convulsively jerked upright； put his hand in front of his mouth； and tried to cough with his lips together。 When his throat was clear； he hurriedly swallowed all of the dampened； now rather sludgy marijuana。 Jack ran his tongue over his teeth； collecting all the flecks and traces。
'You got a few surprises ahead of you；' the policeman said。 'You're gonna get a little sunlight in your soul。'
'Sunlight in my soul？' Jack asked； thinking that the cop had seen him stuff the joint into his mouth。
'A few blisters on your hands； too；' the cop said； and glared happily at Jack's guilty image in the rear…view mirror。
The Cayuga Municipal Building was a shadowy maze of unlighted hallways and narrow staircases that seemed to wind unexpectedly upward alongside equally narrow rooms。 Water sang and rumbled in the pipes。 'Let me explain something to you kids；' the policeman said； ushering them toward the last staircase to their right。 'You're not under arrest。 Got that？ You are being detained for questioning。 I don't want to hear any bullshit about one phone call。 You're in limbo until you tell us who you are and what you're up to；' the cop went on。 'You hear me？ Limbo。 Nowhere。 We're gonna see Judge Fairchild； he's the magistrate； and if you don't tell us the truth； you're gonna pay some big fuckin consequences。 Upstairs。 Move it！'
At the top of the stairs the policeman pushed a door open。 A middle…aged woman in wire glasses and a black dress looked up from a typewriter placed sideways against the far wall。 'Two more runaways；' the policeman said。 'Tell him we're here。'
She nodded； picked up her telephone； and spoke a few words。 'You may go in；' the secretary said to them； her eyes wandering from Wolf to Jack and back again。
The cop pushed them across the anteroom and opened the door to a room twice as large； lined with books on one long wall； framed photographs and diplomas and certificates on another。 Blinds had been lowered across the long windows opposite。 A tall skinny man in a dark suit； a wrinkled white shirt； and a narrow tie of no discernible pattern stood up behind a chipped wooden desk that must have been six feet long。 The man's face was a relief map of wrinkles； and his hair was so black it must have been dyed。 Stale cigarette smoke hung visibly in the air。 'Well； what have we got here； Franky？' His voice was startlingly deep； almost theatrical。
'Kids I picked up on French Lick Road； over by Thompson's place。'
Judge Fairchild's wrinkles contorted into a smile as he looked at Jack。 'You have any identification papers on you； son？'
'No sir；' Jack said。
'Have you told Officer Williams here the truth about everything？ He doesn't think you have； or you wouldn't be here。'
'Yes sir；' Jack said。
'Then tell me your story。' He walked around his desk； disturbing the flat layers of smoke just over his head； and half…sat； half…leaned on the front corner nearest Jack。 Squinting； he lit a cigarette…Jack saw the Judge's recessed pale eyes peering at him through the smoke and knew there was no charity in them。
It was the pitcher plant again。
Jack drew in a large breath。 'My name is Jack Parker。 He's my cousin； and he's called Jack； too。 Jack Wolf。 But his real name is Philip。 He was staying with us in Daleville because his dad's dead and his mother got sick。 I was just taking him back to Springfield。'
'Simple…minded； is he？'
'A little slow；' Jack said； and glanced up at Wolf。 His friend seemed barely conscious。
'What's your mother's name？' the Judge asked Wolf。 Wolf did not respond in any way。 His eyes were clamped shut and his hands stuffed into his pockets。
'She's named Helen；' Jack said。 'Helen Vaughan。'
The Judge eased himself off the desk and walked slowly over to Jack。 'Have you been drinking； son？ You're a little unsteady。'
'No。'
Judge Fairchild came to within a foot of Jack and bent down。 'Let me smell your breath。'
Jack opened his mouth and exhaled。
'Nope。 No booze。' The Judge straightened up again。 'But that's the only thing you were telling the truth about； isn't it？ You're trying to string me along； boy。'
'I'm sorry we were hitching；' Jack said； aware that he had to speak with great caution now。 Not only might what he said determine whether he and Wolf were to be let free； but he was having a little trouble forming the words themselves…everything seemed to be happening with great slowness。 As in the shed； the seconds had wandered off the metronome。 'In fact； we hardly ever hitch because Wolf…Jack； that is…hates being in cars。 We'll never do it again。 We haven't done anything wrong； sir； and that really is the truth。'
'You don't understand； sonny；' the Judge said； and his far…off eyes gleamed again。 He's enjoying this； Jack understood。 Judge Fairchild moved slowly back behind his desk。 'Hitching rides isn't the issue。 You two boys are out on the road by yourself； ing from nowhere； going nowhere…real targets for trouble。' His voice was like dark honey。 'Now we have here in this country what we think is a most unusual facility…state…approved and state…funded； by the way…which might have been set up expressly for the benefit of boys like yourselves。 It's called the Sunlight Gardener Scripture Home for Wayward Boys。 Mr。 Gardener's work with young fellows in trouble has been nothing short of miraculous。 We've sent him some tough cases； and in no time at all he has those boys on their knees begging Jesus for forgiveness。 Now I'd say that was pretty special； wouldn't you？'
Jack swallowed。 His mouth felt drier than it had been in the shed。 'Ah； sir； it's really urgent that we get to Springfield。 Everybody's going to wonder…'
'I very much doubt that；' said the Judge； smiling with all his wrinkles。 'But I'll tell you what。 As soon as you two wags are on your way to the Sunlight Home； I'll telephone Spring…field and try to get the number of this Helen 。 。 。 Wolf； is it？ Or is it Helen Vaughan？'
'Vaughan；' Jack said； and a red…hot blush covered his face like a fever。
'Yes；' the Judge said。
Wolf shook his head； blinking； and then put a hand on Jack's shoulder。
'ing around are you； son？' the Judge asked。 'Could you tell me your age？' Wolf blinked again； and looked at Jack。
'Sixteen；' Jack said。 'And you？'
'Twelve。'
'Oh。 I would have taken you for several years older。 All the more reason for seeing you get help now before you get in real deep trouble； wouldn't you say； Franky？'
'Amen；' the policeman said。
'You boys e back here in a month；' said the Judge。 'Then we'll see if your memory is any better。 Why are your eyes so bloodshot？'
'They feel kind of funny；' Jack said； and the policeman barked。 He had laughed； Jack realized a second later。
'Take them away； Franky；' the Judge said。 He was already picking up the telephone。 'You're going to be different boys thirty days from now。 Depend on it。'
While they walked down the steps of the redbrick Municipal Building； Jack asked Franky Williams why the Judge had asked for their ages。 The cop paused on the bottom step and half…turned to glare up at Jack out of his blazing face。 'Old Sunlight generally takes em in at twelve and turns em loose at nineteen。' He grinned。 'You tellin me you never heard him on the radio？ He's about the most famous thing we got around here。 I'm pretty sure they heard of old Sunlight Gardener even way over in Daleville。' His teeth were small discolored pegs； irregularly spaced。
3
Twenty minutes later they were in farmland again。
Wolf had climbed into the back seat of the police car with surprisingly little fuss。 Franky Williams had pulled his sap from his belt and said； 'You want this again； you fuckin freak？ Who knows； it might make you smart。' Wolf had trembled； Wolf's nose had wrinkled up； but he had followed Jack into the car。 He had immediately clapped his hand over his nose and begun breathing through his mouth。 'We'll get away from this place； Wolf；' Jack had whispered into his ear。 'A couple of days； that's all； and we'll see how to do it。' 'No chatter' came from the front seat。
Jack was strangely relaxed。 He was certain that they would find a way to escape。 He leaned back against the plastic seat； Wolf's hand wrapped around his； and watched the fields go by。
'There she is；' Franky Williams called from the front seat。 'Your future home。'
Jack saw a meeting of tall brick walls planted surrealistically amidst the fields。 Too tall to see over； the walls around the Sunlight Home were topped with three strands of barbed wire and shards of broken glass set in cement。 The car was now driving past exhausted fields bordered with fences in which strands of barbed and smooth wire alternated。
'Got sixty acres out here；' Williams said。 'And all of it is either walled or fenced…you better believe it。 Boys did it themselves。'
A wide iron gate interrupted the expanse of wall where the drive turned into the Home's property。 As soon as the police car turned into the drive the gates swung open； triggered by some electronic signal。 'TV camera；' the policeman explained。 'They're a…wai