chair； but Wendy couldn't see what it was。
〃He's not eating as well； either。 He used to be the original steam shovel。
Remember last year？〃
〃They taper off；〃 he said vaguely。 〃I think I read that in Spock。 He'll be
using two forks again by the time he's seven。〃
They had stopped on the top step。
〃He's pushing awfully hard on those readers； too；〃 she said。 〃I know he wants
to learn how； to please us 。。。 to please you；〃 she added reluctantly。
〃To please himself most of all；〃 Jack said。 〃I haven't been pushing him on
that at all。 In fact； I do wish he wouldn't go quite so hard。〃
〃Would you think I was foolish if I made an appointment for him to have a
physical？ There's a G。P。 in Sidewinder； a young man from what the checker in the
market said — 〃
〃You're a little nervous about the snow ing； aren't you？〃
She shrugged。 〃I suppose。 If you think it's foolish — 〃
〃I don't。 In fact； you can make appointments for all three of us。 We'll get
our clean bills of health and then we can sleep easy at night。〃
〃I'll make the appointments this afternoon；〃 she said。
〃Mom！ Look； Mommy！〃
He came running to her with a large gray thing in his hands； and for one
ic…horrible moment Wendy thought it was a brain。 She saw what it really was
and recoiled instinctively。
Jack put an arm around her。 〃It's all right。 The tenants who didn't fly away
have been shaken out。 I used the bug bomb。〃
She looked at the large wasps' nest her son was holding but would not touch
it。 〃Are you sure it's safe？〃
〃Positive。 I had one in my room when I was a kid。 My dad gave it to me。 Want
to put it in your room； Danny？〃
〃Yeah！