Chapter 22 Summary

Palmer, Beans, and Mutto begin to torment Dorothy by "treestumping" her, meaning that they would throw themselves in front of her on the sidewalk, refuse to move, and force her to walk around them. Some of the other boys at school begin to mimic this new harassment with some of the other girls at school. After a while, Beans is no longer satisfied simply to treestump Dorothy because she does not respond in any way. Even if Beans would stand inches away from Dorothy's face, she does not say a word.

Eventually Beans begins to toss Dorothy's school papers to the wind and a new daily ritual of stealing Dorothy's hat begins. That hat is hung on car antennas, tacked to a telephone pole or tossed into a dumpster, along with many other indignities. Still, Dorothy says nothing. Finally, one day Beans confronts...