Summary

Chapter 17 opens with Henry telling the reader that Phin did not speak to him for almost two weeks after moving in. Young Henry had been eavesdropping on the women's conversations in the kitchen and found out that the Thomsens were considering houseboat-sitting for a friend, but Sally did not want to because there was not enough space. The Thomsens actually had nowhere else to go. Martina kept urging Sally to stay with them until the Thomsens could find something else. The houseboat idea did not pan out, and Henry disliked having David there. However, Henry started feeling increasingly attracted to Phin. Phin finally spoke to Henry, telling him his father liked to leech off of people and was doing that to the Lambs. Then their conversation turned to books, and Phin offered to let Henry borrow his copy of The Dice Man by...