The school year passes slowly for Scout. Her grade is released a half hour earlier than Jem’s, so Scout has to pass Boo Radley’s house by herself every afternoon. One day, Scout notices something shiny in a tree at the edge of the Radley yard. When she goes back to investigate, she finds a stick of gum. Jem admonishes her for taking the gum, but Scout continues to check the knothole daily. On the last day of school, she and Jem find some coins in the tree, which they decide to keep until the next school year starts.
Dill arrives two days later to spend the summer. After an argument with Scout, Jem suggests they play a new game called “Boo Radley,” which Scout recognizes as Jem’s attempt to prove his bravery. Against Scout’s better judgement, they enact Boo’s life with great gusto until Atticus learns of the game. The children play the game less frequently after that, and Jem and Dill begin excluding Scout, spending more and more time together in the treehouse. Lonely, Scout begins spending more of her time with Miss Maudie.
When Scout insists that the boys include her in their plans, they tell her that they’re going to deliver a note to Boo Radley asking him to come outside. She and Dill are posted as guards, while Jem tries to deliver the note, but Atticus intervenes, telling the children to leave the Radleys alone.
