“Get down,' he whispered.  'I’m way ahead of you,' Jamie said from the floor.”

“Then the Old Man of the Earth stooped over the floor of the cave, raised a huge stone from it, and left it leaning. It disclosed a great hole that went plumb-down."That is the way," he said. "But there are no stairs." "You must throw yourself in. There is no other way.”

“She sat down on the bed next to Crispen,and he snuggled into the crook of her arm.“I’m getting you dirty,” he whispered.“I don’t care.”“What are we going to do, Mairin?”

“I passed your floor on the way up, and now I’m passing it on the way down, and I don’t think I’ll be taking this elevator again.”

“Jamie chose that moment to almost fall down the stairs. Mae took his whole weight and grabbed the banister. Seb reached out but Jamie shied away, and Nick gave Jamie a push in the chest that was clearly intended to right him, but that nearly had him toppling over backward.Balance eventually restored to them all, Jamie gave Nick an approving look."You are my friend," he told him."Yeah, I am," said Nick."But these stairs," Jamie said sadly. "They are not my friends.”

“But she was quick to add, “I’m not saying I believe you’re related to Kid Gallagher—”“For the love,” I said, “of God . . . ”“Jamie,” A.J. interrupted her. “Not Kid. Jamie.”