It is understandably with some surprise that Scout and Jem
discover Dill hidden underneath the bed in Chapter 14 of this great novel. Given the way
that he had left without his mother's knowledge, taking money from her purse and
travelling by himself all the way from Meridian to Maycomb Junction then walking the
remaining distance to Maycomb itself, catching a ride on the back of the truck for the
last section, Jem and Scout feel they have to tell Atticus about his presence. Although
Dill is afraid of what Atticus will say, his response reflects his customary calmness
and humour:
Nobody's going to make you go anywhere but to
bed pretty soon. I'm just going over to tell Miss Rachel you're here and ask her if you
could spend the night with us--you'd like that, wouldn't you? And for goodness' sake put
some of the county back where it belongs, the soil erosion's bad enough as it
is.
Scout is forced to
translate for Dill. Atticus is asking him to take a bath. Thus Atticus responds without
getting angry or annoyed, and is merely amused by the presence of Dill and the fact that
he has ran away.
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