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t about Speedy （found out what； though？） and had 。 。 。 Jack mentally saw the WILD CHILD van careening around a corner； grinding its gears and picking up speed。
He jerked himself into motion； hardly knowing which way he meant to go。 In the bright panic of his mood； he saw Uncle Morgan running past a row of distorting mirrors； turned by them into a series of monstrous and deformed figures。 Horns grew on his bald brow； a hump flowered between his fleshy shoulders； his wide fingers became shovels。 Jack veered sharply off to the right； and found himself moving toward an oddly shaped； almost round building of white slatlike boards。
From within it he suddenly heard a rhythmic tap tap tap。 The boy ran toward the sound…a wrench hitting a pipe； a hammer striking an anvil； a noise of work。 In the midst of the slats he found a doorknob and pulled open a fragile slat…door。
Jack went forward into striped darkness； and the sound grew louder。 The darkness changed form around him； altered its dimensions。 He stretched out his hands and touched canvas。 This slid aside； instantly； glowing yellow light fell about him。 'Travellin Jack；' said Speedy's voice。
Jack turned toward the voice and saw the custodian seated on the ground beside a partially dismantled merry…go…round。 He held a wrench in his hand； and before him a white horse with a foamy mane lay impaled by a long silver stake from pommel to belly。 Speedy gently put the wrench on the ground。 'Are you ready to talk now； son？' he asked。
CHAPTER 4
Jack Goes Over
1
'Yes； I'm ready now；' Jack said in a perfectly calm voice； and then burst into tears。
'Say； Travellin Jack；' Speedy said； dropping his wrench and ing to him。 'Say； son； take her easy； take her easy now 。 。 。 '
But Jack couldn't take her easy。 Suddenly it was too much； all of it； too much； and it was cry or just sink under a great wave of blackness…a wave which no bright streak of gold could illuminate。 The tears hurt； but he sensed the terror would kill him if he did not cry it out。
'You do your weepin； Travellin Jack；' Speedy said； and put his arms around him。 Jack put his hot； swollen face against Speedy's thin shirt； smelling the man's smell…something like Old Spice； something like cinnamon； something like books that no one has taken out of the library in a long time。 Good smells； forting smells。 He groped his arms around Speedy； his palms felt the bones in Speedy's back； close to the surface； hardly covered by scant meat。
'You weep if it put you easy again；' Speedy said； rocking him。 'Sometimes it does。 I know。 Speedy knows how far you been； Travellin Jack； and how far you got to go； and how you tired。 So you weep if it put you easy。'
Jack barely understood the words…only the sounds of them； soothing and calming。
'My mother's really sick；' he said at last against Speedy's chest。 'I think she came here to get away from my father's old partner。 Mr。 Morgan Sloat。' He sniffed mightily； let go of Speedy； stepped back； and rubbed at his swollen eyes with the heels of his hands。 He was surprised at his lack of embarrassment…always before； his tears had disgusted and shamed him 。 。 。 it was almost like peeing your pants。 Was that because his mother had always been so tough？ He supposed that was part of it； all right； Lily Cavanaugh had little use for tears。
'But that ain't the only reason she e here； was it？'
'No；' Jack said in a low voice。 'I think 。 。 。 she came here to die。' His voice rose impossibly on the last word； making a squeak like an unoiled hinge。
'Maybe；' Speedy said； looking at Jack steadily。 'And maybe you here to save her。 Her 。 。 。 and a woman just like her。'
'Who？' Jack said through numb lips。 He knew who。 He didn't know her name； but he knew who。
'The Queen；' Speedy said。 'Her name is Laura DeLoessian； and she is the Queen of the Territories。'
2
'Help me；' Speedy grunted。 'Catch ole Silver Lady right under the tail。 You be takin' liberties with the Lady； but I guess she ain't gonna mind if you're helpin me get her back where she belong。'
'Is that what you call her？ Silver Lady？'
'Yeah bob；' Speedy said； grinning； showing perhaps a dozen teeth； top and bottom。 'All carousel horses is named； don't you know that？ Catch on。 Travellin Jack！'
Jack reached under the white horse's wooden tail and locked his fingers together。 Grunting； Speedy wrapped his big brown hands around the Lady's forelegs。 Together they carried the wooden horse over to the canted dish of the carousel； the pole pointing down； its far end sinister with layers of Quaker State oil。
'Little to the left 。 。 。 ' Speedy gasped。 'Yeah 。 。 。 now peg her； Travellin Jack！ Peg her down good！'
They seated the pole and then stood back； Jack panting； Speedy grinning and gasping wheezily。 The black man armed sweat from his brow and then turned his grin on Jack。
'My； ain't we cool？'
'If you say so；' Jack answered； smiling。
'I say so！ Oh yes！' Speedy reached into his back pocket and pulled out the dark green pint bottle。 He unscrewed the cap； drank…and for a moment Jack felt a weird certainty： he could see through Speedy。 Speedy had bee transparent； as ghostly as one of the spirits on the Topper show； which they showed on one of the indy stations out in L。A。 Speedy was disappearing。 Disappearing； Jack thought； or going someplace else？ But that was another nutty thought； it made no sense at all。
Then Speedy was as solid as ever。 It had just been a trick his eyes had played； a momentary…
No。 No it wasn't。 For just a second he almost wasn't here！
…hallucination。
Speedy was looking shrewdly at him。 He started to hold the bottle out to Jack； then shook his head a little。 He recapped it instead； and then slid it into his back pocket again。 He turned to study the Silver Lady； back in her place on the carousel； now needing only to have her post bolted securely into place。 He was smiling。 'We just as cool as we can be； Travellin Jack。'
'Speedy…'
'All of em is named；' Speedy said； walking slowly around the canted dish of the carousel； his footfalls echoing in the high building。 Overhead； in the shadowy crisscross of the beams； a few barnswallows cooed softly。 Jack followed him。 'Silver Lady 。 。 。 Midnight 。 。 。 this here roan is Scout 。 。 。 this mare's Ella Speed。'
The black man threw back his head and sang； startling the barnswallows into flight：
' 'Ella Speed was havin her lovin fun 。 。 。 let me tell you what old Bill Martin done ' Hoo！ Look at em fly！' He laughed 。 。 。 but when he turned to Jack； he was serious again。 'You like to take a shot at savin your mother's life； Jack？ Hers； and the life of that other woman I tole you about？'
'I 。 。 。 ' 。 。 。 don't know how； he meant to say； but a voice inside…a voice which came from that same previously locked room from which the memory of the two men and the attempted kidnapping had e that morning…rose up powerfully： You do know！ You might need Speedy to get you started； but you do know； Jack。 You do。
He knew that voice so very well。 It was his father's voice。
'I will if you tell me how；' he said； his voice rising an