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The humans weren't doing too well； but the sled dogs had broken loose and were having a field day chasing down the creatures。 They closed their triple rows of teeth around them and swallowed them whole。 Then a snarling gopher lunged for Scheransky's throat before he could fire； Class Act intervened。 The intelligent female wolf…dog snapped the gopher out of midleap and digested it。
Because of the dogs； and only because of them； it was over。 The dogs were sated； and fell asleep in a pile over by the scrubby Joshua trees。 The humans dressed their wounds … Danik was the worst； but he was patched up and Chen gave him one of his potions。 He'd be all right； Rock believed； they'd been lucky。 Rock only found out later that half the supplies had been consumed by the furry devils！
〃Do you think there are any more of them？〃 Danik asked； dry…mouthed。 〃Perhaps we'd better leave this cave。。。〃
〃You crazy？〃 McCaughlin said； 〃Go out in that temperature and wind in the middle of the night？〃
〃Well post a guard；〃 Rockson ordered。 〃I'll take first watch。 Keep the fire high； sleep close to it。 They shied from the fire … the holes in the ground are no closer than eight feet to the fire。。。〃
〃You're right。〃 Rona exclaimed。 〃And besides； I think the dogs might have eaten 'em all … if not； they sure will eat any more that try that act again。〃
Scheransky went over and petted the furry head of Class Act。 〃I will never call you a mangy wolf again； I swear it by Lenin … I mean George Washington。〃
They had an uneasy night's sleep but there were no more incidents。 Rock； between dozes； listened to the wind whistling by。 It was as if it were speaking to him； warning him； 〃Go。。。 home。。。 Go。。。〃
The next day the weather was better … overcast but not quite as cold； and they made good progress。 Rockson said； 〃I believe what's left of Colorado Springs is right over that hill。〃
They came over the ridge and looked down on a glassy…surfaced blackened plain。 〃That's the area that took a nuke bomb hit back in the twentieth century；〃 said Rockson grimly。 〃The heat of the air…detonated blast melted the sand into that shiny surface。 Not a thing grows there to this day。 You notice that there is no snow on that mile…wide plain either。 There is still some heat from radioactive elements in that surface … hence the clicking you hear on the Geiger attached to the front of my sled。 Let's give it some room。〃
〃I remember this place；〃 Danik said； 〃the President's Museum is about a mile away from here … just beyond those boulders shaped like a pile of kid's blocks。〃
They quickly made for the boulderfield Danik had indicated。 Rockson hoped that any roving scavengers attracted by the body of Run Dutil would not have eaten his notebook as well … some species of high…plains bobcat ate even metal cans！
The building was a two…story affair nestled in the midst of a flat area covered with snow … a parking lot of old。 The big rocks had shielded it from the blast effects … everything else in these parts was flattened。 It was partly collapsed。 Danik was besides himself with feelings； and his voice was choked up when he said； 〃Through that second door … that's where my best friend and I stumbled frozen and hungry into the building。〃
Rockson and his Freefighters pulled up their sleds in front of the blackened crumbling structure and gingerly stepped into the ruin。 It was dark inside； they lit a flashlight。 Rockson gasped as his beam hit a human face。 McCaughlin shouted； 〃Watch out …〃 and drew his shotpistol； before he realized the face was familiar。
〃Well。 I'll be a monkey's uncle。 Lincoln … Abraham Lincoln … a plastic figure。〃
〃His top hat don't look too good。〃 Rona said。 Indeed it didn't。 There was a pack rat sticking its nose out of the decayed fabric。
〃Let's move on；〃 Rockson said。
Danik took the lead； and they passed a lifelike statue of Teddy Roosevelt riding a horse in the Battle of Bull Run； and then a replica of President Bush signing the Martial Law decree in the Oval Office。 They finally came to the Rotunda Room。 Light spilled in from above through a hole in the ceiling。 The snow flurries drifted in on the figure of John F。 Kennedy sitting in his rocking chair。 He was staring forever at the three astronauts in spacesuits that had returned from the moon and were ing in to receive his accolades。 A tattered and mouse…eaten American flag hung disintegrating on a pole nearby。 JFK was up to his knees in snow。
〃It wasn't like that when I was here two weeks ago；〃 Danik gasped。 〃There was no hole in the roof。〃
〃Do you think someone's been here？〃 McCaughlin said。
〃No；〃 Rock replied； 〃The weight of the snow finally got to the roof。 Nothing lasts forever； not even the Hall of Presidents。 Where is Run Dutil's body？〃
〃It should be over there … in the shadows … propped up against the wall。 We found a steel box in here； all rusted and jammed closed。 Some other hapless wanderers must have brought it here … we found disintegrating skeletons on the second floor； next to charred wood on a sheet…metal plate。 When Run and I broke open the box； we found some canned goods inside。 Must have been decades old； but we cut them open and ate the stuff。 It tasted flat； but it wasn't spoiled。 Canned Soviet…label meat。 It gave me the strength to go on； but Run was sickening from a snake bite he got the sixth day out of Eden。 He threw up the food and convulsed and died。 I was … was too weak； delirious； frightened。 I left him … and his notebook of our travels … right where he died。〃 Danik's voice trailed off。 He looked down。
Rockson shone the beam of his light over in the direction Danik indicated。 The body was there； stiff and frozen； its eyes wide and mouth gaping； the lips blue。 Run Dutil looked a lot like Danik。 The body appeared to be untouched； the cold had kept it from rotting。 Perhaps the animals had tried to taste the plastic statues over the centuries and found them unpalatable。 And so they had desisted from tasting this real human。 Rockson fumbled through the dead man's clothing until he found the small steno pad with pencil notes inside an inner pocket of his frost…covered tunic。
Eagerly he played the light across its contents。 〃Direction readings；〃 Rock yelled exhultantly。 〃Run Dutil took bearings and direction readings with a sextant。 And there are some notes describing the places they stopped。〃
Detroit rummaged around and found the toy sextant Run Dutil had used for piling his meager notes in JFK's plastic hands。 It would be useful； for if the navigation device had some error in it； they could take that into account in plotting their trek south。
〃Good work； Detroit；〃 Rockson said。 〃We can try to reach Eden now！〃
〃Can we bury him？〃 Danik asked somberly。
Rockson wondered how they would spade the ground outside； seeing that it was frozen solid。 Then he said。 〃We can roll some boulders over him … better that way … the animals can't get at him。〃
Danik agreed； Run Dutil was solemnly carried outside； still in his frozen； stiff sitting position。 As McCaughlin rolled up good…sized rocks to the body and then hefted a capstone in place； Rockson said； 〃Ashes to ashes； dust to dust。 Heavenly Father； we send you our friend Run Dutil； a good