On page 39, Scout states that she felt " it best to keep my mouth shut or I would be accused of believing in hot steams, a phenomena I was immune to in the daytime." The reader could infer from this statement that...

A "hot steam" refers to a Southern superstition involving ghosts/ spirits which have unfinished business upon the Earth before they can rest in peace.' Both Jem and Scout fear hot steam will suck their souls. Scout understood that not wanting to bother Boo Radley was being equated with childish belief in ghosts.