Read The Ears of Louis for Free Online Page B

let’s run it down the line,” they said.
    Louis stood there, smiling, holding his helmet.
    â€œHi,” he said.
    Nobody answered. Like this morning at home, it was as if he hadn’t spoken. Maybe he’d dreamed up yesterday. But he hadn’t dreamed being sick in the boys’ room. That much he knew.
    Louis put on his helmet and got down in his crouch. The game began, the sun shone on the sixth graders in all their radiance. Louis stood by. The bell rang. It was over.
    â€œHey, Dumbo, wouldn’t they let you play?” Two friends of Ernie’s were watching. “They probably figured your ears would get in the way.” One of them, the kid with the tiny eyes straddling his nose, advanced upon Louis.
    â€œWhat’s that?” He reached out a grubby hand toward Louis’ charm which had worked its way to the outside of his shirt. “Let’s see what you got there, old Elephant Ears.”
    Louis knew if this kid touched his amulet, it would no longer be entirely his. Its power would vanish. He jerked back but the kid was holding on. The string broke and the charm was in the hand of the enemy.
    â€œGive it here,” Louis said in a voice that trembled. “Give it here or I’ll kill you.”
    â€œGo get it.” The kid threw the charm as far as he could. Louis followed it with his eyes and ran to the spot where it had fallen. He got down on his hands and knees, searching in the dust. The sun glinted on the newly polished surface and led Louis to it. He picked it up and wiped the dust off with his shirt tail. The face looked up at him, noble and unyielding.
    â€œThat’s all right,” Louis said aloud. “Don’t mind those creeps. You’re O.K.” He cradled it in his hands, checking for damage. There was none. Louis stood up and put the amulet in his pocket. The bell had long since rung. He stood at his classroom door, watching Miss Carmichael write on the blackboard. If he went in now, she’d bawl him out for being late again.
    â€œI’m not up to it,” he said to the walls. He went down the hall past Mr. Anderson’s office. The principal was on the telephone again, and still smiling. Louis thought Mr. Anderson spent so much time smiling over the telephone he didn’t have anything but frowns left when he got off.
    Louis wandered around the streets, killing time. He’d have to go back to school to pick up Tom. He wished he could tell time by the sun. He didn’t have a watch. When it seemed as if he’d been walking for hours, he went to a candy store and asked the man what time it was.
    â€œTime for you to be in school,” the man said, laughing. When he saw the look on Louis’ face, he said, “It’s two twenty, son.”
    Louis went back to school. When Tom came out, Louis said “Hurry up” and took giant steps all the way home. “You’re going too fast,” Tom wailed.
    Louis got the ball of string from the drawer in the hall table and ran up the stairs.
    â€œAre you ready to go to the barber?” his mother called.
    Louis didn’t answer. He measured a piece of string and, using his mother’s nail scissors, he cut it off and slipped it through the loop at the top of the amulet.
    â€œCome on, Louis, I’m waiting,” his mother said.
    He went to the top of the stairs.
    â€œMom,” he said, “would you please tie this for me.” He held both ends of the string at the back of his neck and backed up to her.
    She didn’t ask any questions until she’d got it tied in a double knot. She turned him around so their faces were close together.
    â€œThat’s very pretty,” she said. “What is it?”
    â€œMrs. Beeble gave it to me,” he said. “It’s an amulet. A good luck charm. It wards off evil.”
    â€œYou’re awfully young to need to ward off anything,” she said. “What do you know of