t；　downstream　along　the　bank。　But　two　of　them…the　coon…dogs　…　wanted　to　go　upstream。　〃Bobo　Marchant　was　running　the　dogs；　and　when　he　save　the　coonies　a　sniff　of　the　nightgown；　they　turned　with　the　others。〃

〃The　coonies　got　mixed　up；　didn't　they？〃　Brutal　asked。　A　strange；　sickened　little　smile　was　playing　around　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　〃They　ain't　built　to　be　trackers；　strictly　speaking　；　and　they　got　mixed　up　on　what　their　job　was。〃

'Yes。

〃I　don't　get　it；〃　Dean　said。

〃The　coonies　forgot　whatever　it　was　Bobo　ran　under　their　noses　to　get　them　started；〃　Brutal　said。　〃By　the　time　they　came　out　on　the　riverbank；　the　coonies　were　tracking　the　killer；　not　the　girls。　That　wasn't　a　problem　as　long　as　the　killer　and　the　girls　were　together；　but　。。。〃

The　light　was　dawning　in　Dean's　eyes。　Harry　had　already　gotten　it。

〃When　you　think　about　it；〃　I　said；　〃you　wonder　how　anybody；　even　a　jury　wanting　to　pin　the　crime　on　a　wandering　black　fellow；　could　have　believed　John　Coffey　was　their　man　for　even　a　minute。　Just　the　idea　of　keeping　the　dog　quiet　with　food　until　he　could　snap　its　neck　would　have　been　beyond　Coffey。

〃He　was　never　any　closer　to　the　Detterick　farm　than　the　south　bank　of　the　Trapingus；　that's　what　I　think。　Six　or　more　miles　away。　He　was　just　mooning　along；　maybe　meaning　to　go　down　to　the　railroad　tracks　and　catch　a　freight　to　somewhere　else…when　they　e　off　the　trestle；　they're　going　slow　enough　to　hop…when　he　heard　a　motion　to