“Maybe he doesn't have anywhere to run off to...”

“Dill?"Mm?"Why do you reckon Boo Radleys never run off?"Dill sighed a long sigh and turned away from me.Maybe he doesn't have anywhere to run off to”

“I don't see why I have to when he doesn't. Then listen.”

“One time I asked her to have a chew and she said no thanks, that - chewing gum cleaved to her palate and rendered her speechless," said Jem carefully. "Doesn't that sound nice?”

“Dill was off again. Beautiful things floated around in his dreamy head. He could read two books to my one, but he preferred the magic of his own inventions. He could add and subtract faster than lightning, but he preferred his own twilight world, a world where babies slept, waiting to be gathered like morning lilies.”

“His food doesn't stick going down, does it?”

“I was too surprised to cry. I crept from Jem’s room and shut the door softly, lest undue noise set him off again. Suddenly tired, I wanted Atticus. He was in the livingroom, and I went to him and tried to get in his lap. Atticus smiled. “You’re getting so big now, I’ll just have to hold a part of you.” He held me close. “Scout,” he said softly, “don’t let Jem get you down. He’s having a rough time these days. I heard you back there.” Atticus said that Jem was trying hard to forget something, but what he was really doing was storing it away for a while, until enough time passed. Then he would be able to think about it and sort things out. When he was able to think about it, Jem would be himself again.”