Read Philip and the Haunted House (9781619500020) for Free Online Page B

man
why they were really in the house.
    “ We were… exploring. You know. This
empty house. And… and. It seemed like fun. A neat place to hide or
have a secret clubhouse.”
    “ Ah, same as me. Why don’t you both sit
down?” The man turned back to his spot under the staircase and sat
on the thin mattress.
    The boys didn’t move. They looked at each
other. They knew, with the man seated, they could bolt for the
stairway and get out of the house before he could catch them, but
things didn’t seem so scary now. Philip bravely took a step forward
and lowered himself to the ground. Emery followed suit.
    “ I don’t have a real place to live,”
said the man. “I been sleeping outside all summer, but with the
chilly weather I found this empty house, and it seemed like the
thing to do. At least until someone kicked me out.”
    “ What’s your name?” Emery
asked.
    “ Walter,” the man answered. “Walter the
derelict.” The man laughed. “Life can take some funny turns, boys.
And who are you?”
    “ Philip, the student.”
    “ Emery, the student, too.”
    “ Hello, Philip. Hello, Emery, students
both. As I said, with no place to go, I came here. You’re the two
young fellows who cut the lawn, aren’t you?”
    “ You saw us? You were here then?”
Philip asked in some surprise.
    “ Yep.”
    “ Did you open the window while we were
working?” asked Emery. Philip had been thinking the same
question.
    “ I did. How did you know?”
    Philip explained.
    “ Very observant of you. I love the
smell of new cut grass. Don’t you? So I opened the window and lay
down underneath it on the floor breathing it in. It’s about the
most expensive entertainment I can afford these days.”
    “ Don’t you have a job?” Emery
asked.
    “ Had one. Lost it. Not my fault,” he
said with emphasis, as if having the boys understand that fact was
important to him. “Can’t find another. Been over a year now, and so
no money means no apartment. The government gives me some, but it’s
not enough for me to keep living where I used to live. So I’m
trying to save up to get a new start, but...” He moved both his
hands. “It takes a while.” He looked straight at the boys, one of
the few times he had. “Boys, I have to ask you a favor. If people
know I’m here, they’re going to ask me to leave or maybe arrest me,
even though I’m not hurting anything. You think you could keep me a
secret? If you want to come back in and use this place as a
clubhouse or something, it’s all right with me. I’ll be glad for
the company.”
    “ Does anyone else beside you ever come
in this house?” Philip asked. He tapped Emery’s knee, and Emery
knew Philip was really asking about the robbers and the
loot.
    Walter shook his head. “Nope. And I hope no
one does. Would scare me to death if anyone did. You two scared the
dickens out of me today. Good thing I was asleep when you were
creeping around. You’d probably’ve given me a heart attack.”
    “ Did you take our sandwiches off the
porch the day we cut the grass?” Philip asked.
    “ Guilty,” Walter answered.
    “ And another one the next day?” Emery
asked.
    “ Guilty again.”
    “ And did you take a sandwich from my
lunch when I left my book bag in front of Emery’s house?” Philip
asked.
    “ Was that yours? Guilty a third time.
Sometimes it’s hard to get enough food, but I’ll pay you back,
boys. Soon as I get back on my feet again.”
    Emery and Philip exchanged a glance, and
Philip said, “We believe you.”
    No one spoke until Philip said, “Well, I
guess me and Emery better go.”
    Walter looked at them. “Well, it was darn
nice to meet you. I hope we didn’t scare each other too much. Come
back again if you want, though I suppose I shouldn’t tell you to do
that. It’s probably wrong. But, well…” He shrugged. “I get
lonely.”
    The two boys rose but Walter did not.
    “ You boys take care. Better not let
anyone see you leave.”
    “ How do you