ust　a　mulekick　at　the　door　every　once　in　awhile；　you　know。〃　Dean　was　so　relieved　to　see　us　that　he　was　babbling。　His　glasses　slipped　down　to　the　end　of　his　nose；　which　was　shiny　with　sweat；　and　he　pushed　them　back　up。　We　passed　Wharton's　cell。　That　worthless　young　man　was　flat　on　his　back；　snoring　like　a　sousaphone。　His　eyes　were　shut　this　time；　all　right。

Dean　saw　me　looking　and　laughed。

〃No　trouble　from　that　guy！　Hasn't　moved　since　he　laid　back　down　on　his　bunk。　Dead　to　the　world。　As　for　Percy　kicking　the　door　every　now　and　then；　I　never　minded　that　a　bit。　Was　glad　of　it；　tell　you　the　truth。　If　he　didn't　make　any　noise　at　all；　I'd　start　wonderin　if　he　hadn't　choked　to　death　on　that　gag　you　slapped　over　his　cakehole。　But　that's　not　the　best。　You　know　the　best？　It's　been　as　quiet　as　Ash　Wednesday　morning　in　New　Orleans！　Nobody's　been　down　all　night！〃　He　said　this　last　in　a　triumphant；　gloating　voice。　〃We　got　away　with　it；　boys！　We　did！〃

That　made　him　think　of　why　we'd　gone　through　the　whole　edy　in　the　first　place；　and　he　asked　about　Melinda。

〃She's　fine；〃　I　said。　We　had　reached　John　's　cell。　What　Dean　had　said　was　just　starting　to　sink　in：　We　got　away　with　it；　boys　。。。　we　did。

〃Was　it　like　。。。　you　know　。。。　the　mouse？〃　Dear　asked。　He　glanced　briefly　at　the　empty　cell　when　Delacroix　had　lived　with　Mr。　Jingles；　then　down　a　the　restraint　room；　which　had　been　the　mouse's　seeming　point　of　origin。　His　voice　dropped；　the　way　people's　voices　do　when