he said not to pluck them ; just wrap them in mud and bake them . so he was the one who left the note , not my father . `` before they had the opportunity to do likewise to us . '' im across the living room and slipping out the front door and then bumping into miles , who is standing in the hallway . that many cattle cant just disappear into thin air . and then , without warning , it crumbled in his hand . i choked on a laugh and tried to disguise it as a cough . 