noon　and　the　noseeums　were　already　circling　the　heads　of　the　possemen　in　clouds。　The　coonies　took　another　sniff；　decided　to　vote　the　straight　ticket；　and　off　they　all　went　downstream；　in　full　cry。

It　wasn't　but　ten　minutes　later　when　the　men　stopped；　realizing　they　could　hear　more　than　just　the　dogs。　It　was　a　howling　rather　than　a　baying；　and　a　sound　no　dog　had　ever　made；　not　even　in　its　dying　extremities。　It　was　a　sound　none　of　them　had　ever　heard　anything　make；　but　they　knew　right　away；　all　of　them；　that　it　was　a　man。　So　they　said；　and　I　believed　them。　I　think　I　would　have　recognized　it；　too。　I　have　heard　men　scream　just　that　way；　I　think；　on　their　way　to　the　electric　chair。　Not　a　lot　…　most　button　themselves　up　and　go　either　quiet　or　joking；　like　it　was　the　class　picnic　…　but　a　few。　Usually　the　ones　who　believe　in　hell　as　a　real　place；　and　know　it　is　waiting　for　them　at　the　end　of　the　Green　Mile。

Bobo　shortleashed　his　dogs　again。　They　were　valuable；　and　he　had　no　intention　of　losing　them　to　the　psychopath　howling　and　gibbering　just　down　yonder。　The　other　men　reloaded　their　guns　and　snapped　them　closed。　That　howling　had　chilled　them　all；　and　made　the　sweat　under　their　arms　and　running　down　their　backs　feel　like　icewater。　When　men　take　a　chill　like　that；　they　need　a　leader　if　they　are　to　go　on；　and　Deputy　McGee　led　them。　He　got　out　in　front　and　walked　briskly　（I　bet　he　didn't　feel　very　brisk　right　then；　though）　to　a　stand　of　alders　that　jutted　out　of　the　woods