Encounter at the Jailhouse

7/15/1934

This evening Mr. Heck Tate and a crowd of men came to our house to tell Atticus that Tom Robinson was being moved to the Maycomb County Jail, and he feared that there could be some trouble.  Atticus thought that there wouldn't be any trouble at the jailhouse because of Maycomb's reputation.  Later that night Atticus went into town; Jem, Dill, and I followed him and ended up at the Maycomb jail.  Atticus was sittin' outside readin' his book by lamplight.  Soon after our arrival four cars pulled up at the jailhouse, and men started getting out of them.  They gathered around Atticus and asked him if Tom was inside the cell.  Atticus said that he was and that they should keep their voices down because Tom was asleep.  At first Atticus didn't seem worried because he knew that Mr. Heck Tate was around.  However, when he found out that Mr. Tate was out on a snipe hunt he became worried.  I ran to meet Atticus; Jem and Dill followed me.  When Atticus saw us he told Jem to go home, but Jem refused to leave Atticus's side.  I accidentally embarrassed Mr. Walter Cunningham by bringing up his entailment and by asking him about his son, Walter.  I hadn't meant to embarrass him; I was just trying to talk to the only face I recognized in the crowd.  After that, Mr. Cunningham cleared out the crowd and everyone went home.  Soon after the crowd left, Jem, Atticus, Dill, and me headed home ourselves.