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hem。 And always work became more laborious and odious； and play grew more artificial and febrile。
Only Ish and George were left standing there by Ezra's porch…steps。 Ish knew that George was getting ready to say something。 Funny； Ish thought； you wouldn't think anyone could pause until he had said something； George paused before he said anything。
〃Well；〃 said George； and then he paused again。 〃Well。。。。 I guess I better go get some planks 。。。 so I can wall in the sides 。。。 after she gets deeper。〃
〃Fine！〃 said Ish。 George at least； Ish knew； would get the work done。 He had carried the habit of work over so strongly from the Old Times that he perhaps could never really play。
George went off after his planks； and Ish went to find Dick and Bob； who had been collecting and harnessing the dogteams。
He found the two boys in front of his own house。 Three dog…teams were ready。 A rifle…barrel was sticking out from one wagon。
Ish considered for a moment。 Was there anything else he should take along？ He felt a lack。
〃Oh； say； Bob；〃 he said； 〃run in； please； and get my hammer。11 〃Aah； why do you want thatT'
〃Oh； well； nothing in particular； I guess。 It might e in handy for breaking a lock。〃
〃You can always use a brick；〃 said Bob； but he went。
Ish used the momentary delay to pick up the rifle and check that the magazine was full。 This was pure routine； but Ish himself was the one who insisted on it。 There was only a very small chance of meeting a rambunctious bull or a she…bear with cubs； but you took the rifle along for insurance。 Ish； at times when he woke up in the night； still …remembered very vividly the occasion when the dogs had trailed him。
Bob came back； and at once handed the hammer to his father。 As Ish gripped the handle； he felt a strange little sense of security。 The familiar weight of the dangling four…pound head brought him fort。 It was the same old hammer that he had picked up long ago； just before the rattlesnake bit him。 The handle had been weathered 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