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rest of the personality。 Joey needed physical strength and emotional solidity。 Still； he was going far！
Ish came out of his thoughts to the sound of retching； and saw that Joey was vomiting upon a pile of rubble。
〃That lunch！〃 thought Ish guiltily。 〃I let him eat too much mixture。 He's done this before。〃 Then he realized that the excitement had probably been more a factor than the lunch。
When Joey felt better； and they finally got back to the garage； they found that the boys had finished the work of shifting tires and pumping them up。 Ish felt his old curiosity about the car and the expedition rising up again。
He got into the car； and once more started the engine。 He nursed it lovingly； and then raced it a little to let it grow warm。 Well； the engine was running and the tires were hold…； ing； at least temporarily。 But there were a lot of； questions about clutch and transmission and steering…gear and brakes； besides all those mysterious but vital things which lurked somewhere in the make…up of automobiles and of which he scarcely even knew the names。 They had filled the radiator； but the water…circulation might well be clogged somewhere； and even that was enough to render a car of no value。 But here we are again worrying about the future！
〃All right！〃 he said。 〃Let's go！〃
The engine was muttering contentedly。 He threw the clutch out； and worked the stiff transmission into low gear。 He let the clutch in； and the car lurched forward heavily； as if its bearings were almost too stiff to be started again； as if their fine steel balls like the rubber tires； had flattened from long stand。！； ing in one position。 Yet the car moved； and he felt it respond to the stiff steering gear。 He pressed upon the brake； and the car came to a stop； having moved only six feet。 Yet it had moved； and （of equal importance） it had stopped。
He had a sudden feeling of more than pleasure； reaching to； the height of exaltation。 It was not all a dream！ If； in one day' work a man and three boys could get a jeep to running again。； what could not a whole munity acplish in the course of a few years？
The boys unloosed the dogs from one of the wagons to home by themselves。 They hitched the wagon behind one the others。 Then Dick drove one team； and Bob the ther。 Ish； with Joey beside him； started out bravely。
Fallen buildings had left heaps of debris in the street。 blowing winds had drifted leaves and dust upon the bricks and the winter rains had washed the whole into semblances natural banks and hillocks。 Grass was growing thickly； on o little mound there was even a fair stand of bushes。 Ish stiffly hither and thither； finding a way along the clogged streets。 He was nearing home when he sharply over a brick and heard a bang as the left rear tire out。 He ended the day driving home on one flat tire； badly； but taking it slowly and making the last grade successfully； a little ahead of the dog…teams。 In spite of this final mishap； he felt that he had done well。
He let the jeep roll to a stop in front of the house； leaned back in triumphant relief。 At least he had got it home。
Then he pressed the horn…button； and after these years of silence it responded wonderfully…TOOT…A…TOOT…TOOT！
He expected children； and older people too； to e hurrying from all directions at the unaccustomed sound； but there was no one。 Only a sudden barking of dogs sprang up from everywhere。 Then the team…dogs joined in the chorus； as they now came up the hill； and the boys joined him。 Ish felt a sudden emptiness of fear inside him。 Once before； long ago； he had e into a strangely empty town； and blown the horn of his car； and now it was easy enough to think that something might have happened when your whole universe consisted of only some thirty more or less defenseless people。 But that was only for a moment。
Then he saw Mary； her baby on her arm； e unconcernedly out of the house down the street； and wave to him。 〃They've all gone bull…dodging！〃 she called。
The boys were suddenly excited to join the sport。 They loosed the dogs from the carts； and were off； not even asking permission of Ish。 Even Joey； now wholly recovered from his illness； rushed off with the others。 Ish felt suddenly left alone and neglected； his triumph at restoring transportation gone suddenly sour in his mouth。 Only Mary came to look at the jeep。 She stared with big enough eyes； but was as untalkative as the baby； who also stared。
Ish got out of the jeep； and stretched。 His long legs were cramped from its close quarters； and his bad loin ached from even this small amount of bumping。
〃Well；〃 he said with a little pride in his voice； 〃what do you think of it； Mary？〃 Mary was his own daughter； but she was not much like either of her parents； and her stolidity often bothered him。
〃Good！〃 she said with a Choctaw…like imperturbability。
Ish felt that there was not much to follow up along that line。 〃Where's the bull…dodging？〃 he asked。
〃Down by the big oak tree。〃
Just then they heard the loud sound of yelling； and Ish knew that someone had made a good maneuver at dodging。
〃Well； I guess I might as well go down and see the national sport；〃 he said； though he knew the irony would be wasted。
〃Yes；〃 said Mary； and began to stroll back with her baby toward her own house。 200
Ish went off on the path down the hill； across lots； through what had once been someone's backyard。 〃National sport！〃 he was still thinking to himself bitterly； although he realized that the bitterness might be partly because his own triumphant entry had been spoiled。 He heard another shout from ahead which indicated that again someone put himself within a few inches of the bull's homs。
Bull…dodging was dangerous； too； although actually no one had ever been killed or even badly hurt。 Ish rather disapproved of the whole business； but he did not feel that he was in a position to set himself firmly against it。 The boys needed some way to get rid of their energy； and perhaps they even needed something dangerous。 By and large； life was perhaps too quiet and too safe these days。 Possibly…the image of Mary came to his mind again…too safe and unadventurous life tended to produce stolid people。 These days children never had to be warned against crossing the street because of automobiles； and there were dozens of other daily hazards of the old civilization such as the mon cold； not to mention atomic bombs； which nobody ever needed to consider。 You had the ordinary run of sprains； cuts； and bruises； what you expected among people living largely in the open； and handling tools like hatchets and knives。 Once； too； Molly had burned her hands badly； and there had been a near…drowning when a three…year…old had slipped from the pier at fishing。
Now he came into the edge of the little open space on the side of the hill； fairly level； close to the flat rock where the numerals of the years were incised。 It had once been a park。 The bull was being played in the center of the grassy spot。 It was not a lawn such as you expected in a park。 The grass was a foot tall at this time of year； and would have been taller if it had not been eaten down； by