In Harper Lee's To Kill a
Mockingbird, at the start of Chapter Seven, Jem and Scout find other "gifts"
left in the tree.
First, there is a ball of grey twine.
Scout tells Jem not to take it, thinking it is someone's hiding place, but Jem doesn't
think so. Next they find two images or "statues" carved out of soap. One was a boy, and
the other a girl: they could tell because "she" was wearing a "carved" dress. Jem
praises the workmanship, saying he's never seen carving so good. Soon they realize that
the figurines represent them: Jem and Scout. Next an entire pack of chewing gum has been
left in the knothole, and the following week, there is a medal like that given to
winners of a contest, maybe a spelling bee. The next "treasure" they find is a watch. It
doesn't work, but it has a chain with a pocketknife attached to it. The kids consider
this their best prize yet.
This chapter becomes a silent
battle between Jem and Scout, and Nathan Radley. Somehow he
discovers that someone has been leaving things in the hole in the
tree. When the kids return from school one day, prepared with a note to put in the hole,
they find it is cemented up. Mr. Radley says it's because the tree is dying; Atticus
tells them that the tree seems fine to him, but diplomatically explains that Mr. Radley
knows better about his trees than Atticus does.
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