gs.earthabides-第42部分

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thered　and　cracked　then；　and　it　still　was。　He　had　often　thought　of　choosing　a　new　handle　in　some　hardware　store　and　fitting　it　to　the　head。　As　a　matter　of　fact　he　could　just　as　well　have　picked　out　a　whole　new　tool。　Actually；　however；　he　had　very　little　use　for　the　harnmer。　By　tradition　he　took　it　along　every　New　Years　Day　when　he　cut　the　numerals　into　the　rock；　but　that　was　about　its　only　practical　value；　and　even　for　that　purpose　a　lighter　one　might　have　been　better。　
　　So　now　he　stuck　the　hammer　into　the　wagon　by　his　feet；　and　felt　fortable。　〃All　ready？〃　he　called　to　Dick　and　Bob；　and　just　then；　something　caught　his　eye。　
　　A　small　boy　was　standing；　half…hidden　in　the　bushes；　looking　out　at　the　wagons。　Ish　recognized　the　slight　figure。　〃Oh；　Joey！〃　he　called　on　impulse。　〃Want　to　go　along？〃　
　　Joey　stepped　out　from　the　bushes；　but　hung　back。　
　　〃I　have　to　help　digging　the　well；〃　he　said。　
　　〃Oh；　never　mind；　they'll　get　the　well　dug　without　you　or〃　＇he　added　to　himself＇　〃they　more　likely　won't　get　it　either　with　or　without　you。〃　
　　Joey　took　no　more　urging。　Obviously　this　was　what　he　really　been　hoping。　He　ran　to　Ish's　wagon；　and　climbed　snugly　at　his　father's　feet　where　he　could　just　find　room。　He　held　the　hammer　in　his　lap。　
　　Then　the　dogs　were　off　with　a　furious　rush　and　an　outburst　of　barking；　as　they　always　liked　to　start　out。　The　two　other　teams　followed；　with　the　excited　boys　yelling　and　their　dogs　barking　too。　The　dogs　around　the　houses　barked　back。　It　made　a　fair　imitation　of　a　riot。　As　always；　hunched　in　the　little　wagon　behind　six　dogs；　Ish　felt　ridiculous；　as　if　he　were　acting　in　some　silly　pageant。　
　　Once　the　dogs　had　started；　they　stopped　wasting　breath　barking；　and　settled　to　a　slower　pace。　Ish　collected　thoughts；　and　went　over　his　plans。　
　　He　made　his　first　stop　at　what　had　once　been　a　station。　The　door　was　open。　Inside　the　little　office；　though　it　was　walled　in　glass；　the　sunlight　filtered　through　in　subdued　yellow。　Twenty…one　years　of　fly…specks　and　blown　dust　had　coated　the　windows　thickly。　
　　He　saw　the　old　telephone　directory　hanging　from　its　book　beside　the　long…dead　telephone。　As　he　took　the　book　and　opened　it；　bits　of　brittle　yellowed　paper　broke　off　from　the　pages　and　went　fluttering　to　the　floor。　He　found　the　address　of　what　had　once　been　the　local　agency　for　jeeps。　Yes；　with　the　roads　in　the　condition　they　were；　a　jeep　would　be　the　thing。　
　　Half　an　hour　later；　when　they　came　to　the　proper　streeter；　Ish　looked　through　the　dirty　display…window；　and　his　heart　jumped　with　boyish　excitement　at　seeing　a　jeep　actually　standing　there。　
　　The　boys　tied　up　the　teams；　and　the　dogs；　well…trained；　lay　down　in　orderly　fashion　without　snarling　the　tram。　Dick　tried　the　door；　it　was　locked。　
　　〃Here；〃　said　Ish；　〃take　the　hammer；　and　smash　the　lock。〃　
　　〃Oh；　here's　a　brick！〃　said　Dick；　and　then　went　running　off　down　the　street　toward　the　remains　of　a　chimney　that　had　fallen　in　the　earthquake。　Bob　went　with　him。　
　　Ish　had　a　feeling　of　irritation。　What　was　wrong　with　those　boys？　At　best　a　brick　was　not　as　good　as　the　hammer　for　smashing　a　door　in。　He　ought　to　know；　he　had　smashed　a　lot　of　them。　
　　He　stepped　three　strides　across　the　sidewalk；　and　swinging　with　the　hammer　on　the　rhythm　of　his　last　stride；　he　sent　the　door　crashing　inwards。　That　would　show　them！　After　a；　there　had　been　sense　in　bringing　the　hammer！　
　　The　jeep　that　was　standing　there　in　the　display…room　had　four　flat　tires；　and　showed　a　thick　layer　of　dust；　but　under　the　dust　the　red　paint　was　shiny。　The　speedometer　showed　a　total　of　nine　miles。　Ish　shook　his　head。　
　　〃No；〃　he　said；　〃this　one's　too　new。　I　mean；　she　was　too　new！　One　that　was　better　broken　in　will　be　easier　for　us。〃　
　　In　the　garage　behind　the　display…room；　there　were　several　others。　All　their　tires　were　flat；　extremely　flat。　One　had　its　hood　up　and　various　of　its　parts　were　scattered　around。　It　must　have　been　in　for　a　repair…job。　Ish　passed　that　one　by。　
　　There　seemed　little　to　choose　between　the　others。　The　speedometer　of　one　of　them　stood　at　six　thousand；　and　Ish　decided　to　try　that　one。　
　　The　boys　looked　at　him　expectantly；　and　Ish　felt　that　he　was　putting　himself　to　the　test。　
　　〃Now　remember；〃　he　said　defensively；　〃I　don't　know　whether　I　can　get　this　thing　going　or　not。　I　don't　know　whether　anyone　could…after　twenty　years　and　more！　I'm　not　even　a　mechanic；　you　know！　I　was　just　one　of　those　ordinary　fellows　who　had　driven　a　car　quite　a　lot　and　could　change　a　fire；　or　tighten　a　fan…belt；　maybe。　Don't　expect　too　much。。。。　Well；　first；　we　might　try　to　see　if　we　can　move　her。〃　
　　Ish　made　sure　that　the　brake　was　off　and　the　gears　in　neutral。　
　　〃All　right；〃　he　said。　〃The　tires　are　flat；　and　the　grease　is　stiff　in　the　wheel…bearings；　and　for　all　I　know　maybe　the　bearings　themselves　have　gone　flat　from　standing　twenty　years　the　same　way。　But　e　on　and　get　behind　her；　and　we'll　shove。　This　floor　is　level　anyway。。。。　All　right；　now。　All　together…shove！〃　The　car　lurched　suddenly　forward！　
　　The　boys　were　yelping　with　pleasure　and　excitement；　and　their　noise　set　the　dogs　to　barking。　You　would　have　thought　it　was　all　over；　whereas　all　that　had　been　proved　was　that　the　wheels　still　would　turn。　
　　Next　Ish　put　the　gear　into　high；　and　they　shoved　again。　This　was　a　different　story。　The　car　did　not　budge。　
　　The　question　was　now　whether　the　engine　and　gears　were　merely　stiff　from　disuse　or　whether　they　were　actually　rusted　tight　somewhere。　
　　Looking　under　the　hood；　Ish　saw　that　the　engine　was　well　smeared　with　grease；　as　engines　usually　were。　There　was　little　sign　of　external　rust；　but　that　might　show　nothing　about　what　had　happened　inside。　
　　The　boys　looked　at　him　expectantly；　and　he　thought　of　expedients。　He　could　try　the　other　car。　He　could　have　the　boys　bring　the　dog…teams　in　and　hitch　them　to　the　car。　Then　he　had　another　idea。　
　　The　jeep　which　had　been　in　the　process　of　being　repaired　was　only　some　ten　feet　behind　the　one　they　had　chosen　to　try。　If　they　could　shove　that　one　forward　out　of　gear；　they　might　send　it　against　the　rear　of　the　other　with　enough　momentum　to　make　something　give。　Also　they　might　smash　something；　but　that　was　no　matter！　
　　They　brought　this　jeep　within　two　feet　of　the　other；　and　rested。　Then；　altogether；　they　shoved　again。　
　　There　was　a　satisfactory　bang　of　metal　on　metal。　Going　to　look；　they　found　that　the　first　jeep　had　moved　three　inches。　After　that；　they　could　move　it　with　hard　pushing；　even　when　it　was　in　gear。　Ish　began　to　feel　triumphant。　
　　〃You　see；〃　he　said；　〃once　you　get　something　moving　it's　easier　to　keep　moving！〃　（Then　he　wondered　whether　that　principle　applied　to　groups　of　people；　as　well　as　to　engines。）　
　　The　battery　of　course　was　dead；　but　Ish　had　faced　that　problem　before。　First；　however；　he　gave　the　boys　instructions　to　drain　all　oil　out　of　the　car　and　replace　it　with　oil　from　sealed　cans；　using　the　lightest　oil　available。　
　　Leaving　them　at　work；　he　went　off　with　a　dog…team。　In　half　an　hour　he　was　back　with　a　battery。　He　connected　it；　and　turned　the　key　in　the　ignition　switch；　watching　the　needle　on　the　ammeter。　Nothing　happened。　Perhaps　the　wiring　was　gone　somewhere。　
　　But　he　tapped　the　ammeter；　and　the　long　unused　needle　suddenly　disengaged　and　went　jiggling　over　to　Discharge。　There　was　life！　He　felt　around　for　the　starter…button。　
　　〃Well；　boys；〃　he　said；　〃here's　a　real　test。。。。　Yes；　I　guess　this　is　the　acid　test；　seeing　that　that's　what　we　have　in　the　battery！〃　But　the　boys　grinned　blankly；　never　having　heard　the　expression；　and　Ish　found　himself　a　little　disturbed　that　he　had　been　able　to　make　a　pun　at　such　a　climax。　He　pressed　t　'　he　starter…button。　There　was　a　long　grunt。　
　　Then　slowly　the　engine　turned！　
　　After　the　first　turn　it　moved　more　easily；　and　then　more　q；asily　still。　So　far；　so　good！　
　　The　gasoline…tank　was　empty；　like　most　of　them。　these　days。　Probably　their　caps　were　not　air…tight；　or　else　the　gasoline　seeped　through　the　carburetor…Ish　did　not　know。　
　　They　found　gasoline　in　a　drum；　and　poured　five　gallons　into　the　tank。　Ish　put　in　fresh　spark…plugs。　He　primed　the　carburetor；　feeling　a　little　proud　that　he　knew　enough　to　do　so。　He　got　into　the　seat；　set　the　choke；　snapped　the　ignition　on　again；　and　tramped　on　the　starter…button。　
　　The　engine　grunted；　turned　over；　turned　faster；　and　then　suddenly　roared　into　life。　
　　The　boys　were　shouting。　Ish　sat　triumphantly；　nursing　the　throttle　with　his　foot。　He　felt　a　sense　of　pride　in　the　old　achievements　of　civilization…in　all　the　honest　design　and　honest　work　of　engineers　and　machinists　which　had　gone　into　fashioning　this　engine；　fit　to　work　after　twenty…some　years　of　idleness。　
　　The　engine；　however；　died　suddenly　when　the　gas　in　the　carburetor　was　exhausted。　They　primed　and　ran　it　again；　and　still　again；　and　finally　the　ancient　pump　brought　up　gas　from　the　tank；　and　the　engine　ran　continuously。　The　problem　now…and　perhaps　the　worst　of　all…was　tires。　
　　In　the　same　display…room　there　was　one　of　the　usual　tireracks　well　raised　above　the　floor。　But　the　tires　had　been　standing　upright　for　so　long　that　they　had　sagged　a　little　under　their　own　weight；　and　the　rubber；　where　it　had　rested　against　the　rack；　was　badly　indented。　Such　tires；　even　though　they　might　last　for　a　few　miles；　held　obviously　little　possibility　for　a　long　run。　By　searching　carefully；　they　finally　found　some　fires　which　had　been　resting　on　their　sides；　and　these　seemed　to　be　in'better　condition；　although　the　rubber　was　hard　and　full　of　little　cracks；　and　gave　an　impression　of　being　dead。　
　　They　found　a　jack；　and　raised　the　first　wheel　from　the　ground。　Even　to　get　the　wheel　off　was　a　struggle；　for　the　nuts　had　begun　to　rust　to　the　threads。　
　　Bob　and　Dick　were　unaccustomed　to　the　use　of　tools；　and　little　Joey　kept　getting　in　the　way　with　his　eagerness；　and　was　more　hindrance　than　help。　Even　in　the　Old　Times　Ish　had　never　dismounted　a　fire　except　once　or　twice　in　an　emergency；　and　he　had　forgotten　the　tricks；　if　he　had　ever　known　them。　
　　They　spent　a　long　time　sweating　the　first　tire　off　the　rim。　Bob　barked　a　knuckle；　and　Dick　tore　a　finger…nail　half　off。　Getting　the　〃new〃　tire　onto　the　rim