Bill gets to the library first. He remembers that the day before July 4th, they had met to discuss what they might do. They want Bill to tell them what to do. They rule out the police and their parents, assuming that they would not believe them. They also realize that they don’t trust any other kids enough to enlist them.

The author reveals that Henry Bowers hated Mike Hanlon the most out of everyone. Henry’s father Butch blames Will Hanlon for everything that goes wrong in his life after poisoning the chickens. He had turned Henry against the Hanlons, but also against black people: “In Henry’s ears, it was a constant litany: the nigger, the nigger, the nigger” (673). Henry poisons Mike’s dog, Mr. Chips. Butch is proud of him and gives Henry his first beer.

Mike is always “in constant terror of Henry” (674). One, night Henry tackles him and covers him in mud, saying that he has made a “tarbaby” (675). Will tells Mike that Henry is crazy and to stay away from him: “You have to ask yourself if Henry Bowers is worth the trouble” (678).

Henry, Victor, Belch, Peter Gordon, and a boy they call Moose are chasing Mike towards the Barrens on July 3rd.