Atticus was stunned by the news. Heck asked Scout to describe what had happened and from Atticus' lap she recounted her story. Heck examined Scout's crushed costume and pointed out a long, clean cut through the chicken wire where a knife had slashed the costume without harming Scout. The ham costume had saved her life. Scout went on to describe the scuffling. She said that when Mr. Ewell was trying to squeeze her to death someone pulled him off of her, and she thought Jem had gotten up again.
But then she heard the hard breathing of someone older and thought it was Atticus. Heck asked who it was and she pointed to the man in the corner and said that he could tell Mr. Tate his name. As she looked at him she noticed the paleness of his hands and face. He looked delicate and his eyes were so colorless he almost looked blind. His cheeks were thin and his face looked hollow, and when she pointed to him he seemed to tense up. She stared at him a moment in wonder and he smiled timidly as her eyes filled and she greeted him with, "'Hey, Boo.'" Chapter 29, Pg. 273
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