Summary and Analysis
Part III:
Chapter 51
As the Halloways hurry down the Carnival's midway, the freaks stand permissively by and let them pass. Certainly this is a strange occurrence. Mr. Halloway explains it by saying they stand motionless because they are afraid. They have witnessed what happened to the Dust Witch and do not want the scene repeated. Will, however, is not so optimistic. He fears that the freaks are only awaiting Mr. Dark's signal to begin a more intense and furious fight against them.
Will hears the calliope's music, and he and his father arrive just in time to see Jim yield himself to the power and promise of the Carnival's carousel. Will runs to Jim's side, pleading with him to climb down while he still can. He grabs at Jim's hand but misses, and Jim adds another year to his life before Will can reach him a second time. When the carousel circles around again, Will lunges at Jim, trying to jerk him free. Again Will's plan goes awry, for instead of freeing Jim, Will is pulled onto the carousel, too. Before Will can leap away from the carousel, they have traveled half a circle, half a year. He finally succeeds in jerking Jim free, but when he falls to the ground, Jim lies silently, as if dead.