Wringer

Palmer realizes Henry must have written the warning into the cake. Henry has never been like the other boys. Henry isn’t mean; he just lets Beans and Mutto drag him along. Palmer also realizes that the warning probably means that the boys are going to pay him a visit in the night. Palmer spends the night in the living room, behind the couch, with Nipper in his hands.

That morning, the boys show up at his door. Beans demands to know who Nipper is, and holds up a basketball with Nipper’s name on it that he stole from Palmer’s room. Beans also demands to know where Palmer was last night. For the first time, Palmer stands up to Beans and says, “Where was I? Where were you?” (175).

Beans drags Palmer outside so that he can get The Treatment from Farquar. They finally find Farquar, and he asks Palmer to roll up his sleeve. Palmer says no, “No Treatment! No wringer! No Snots!” (179). Then he runs away. Beans screams after him.