Chapters 26-30 Summary

In chapter twenty-six, Ned visits Claude and finds him next door. The house belongs to an elderly woman named Mrs. Agajanian. She is the same elderly woman who witnessed Claude's suicide attempt. When Ned enters the house, Mrs. Agajanian is playing 78 rpm records for Claude on a huge cherry Victrola in the dark sitting room. Ned is invited to sit down, but he makes the mistake of sitting on Mrs. Agajanian's imaginary son, Ralph, who is apparently cleaning fish. Mrs. Agajanian waltzes around the room and tells the boys fantastic stories of her life. Eventually, she passes out in a chair. Claude covers her with a blanket, and both boys slip out the back door. Ned and Claude find out from Claude's mother that Mrs. Agajanian never had a husband or a son.

In chapter twenty-seven, Drew lands in jail for...