Part 4 (1/2)

The convoy was directly below theht trucks preceded and followed by half-tracks The following half-track was backing, vortex gun cast loose and ready for trouble Its coainst a possible trap

At the second truck helathered around its rear end, which was jacked up As the Leader watched he saw one wheel removed

”Trouble?”

”I think not Just a breakdown They'll be gone soon” He wondered as in the trucks Food, probably His o an opportunity like this would have enerous rations for all, but the conquerors had shts away ”It's not that that worriesto the subject ”We'll be able to tell quislings from loyal Americans But how do you tell men from boys?”

”Thinking of Joe Benz?”

”Maybe I'd give a lot to kno far we can trust Joe But I could have been thinking of young Morrie”

”You can trust him”

”Certainly At thirteen he doesn't drink - and he wouldn't crack if they burned his feet off Sae or sex - but how can you tell? And you've got to be able to tell”

There was a flurry below Guards had slipped down from the trucks and withdrawn from the road when the convoy had stopped, in accordance with an orderly plan for such e between thebird set up a frenetic whistling

”It's the er,” said the Leader ”The dumb fool! Why didn't he lie quiet? Tell Ted we've seen it”

Dad pursed his lips and whistled: ”Keewah, keewah, keewah, terloo”

The other ”bird” answered, ”Terloo,” and shut up

”We'll need a new post office now,” said the Leader ”Take care of it, Dad”

”Okay”

”There's no real answer to the problem,” the Leader said ”You can liive away too many - but take a colony like ours It needs to be a dozen or more to work That ether So each one has a loaded gun at the head of each other one”

Dad grinned, wryly ”Sounds like the United Nations before the Blow Off

Cheer up, Ed Don't burn your bridges before you cross them”

”I won't The convoy is ready to roll”

When the convoy had disappeared in the distance, Ed Morgan, the Leader, and his deputy Dad Carter stood up and stretched The ”bird” had announced safety loudly and cheerfully ”Tell Ted to cover us into caan ordered

Dad wheepled and chirruped and received acknowledgment They started back into the hills Their route was roundabout and included check points from which they could study their back track and receive reports fro followed - he was confident that Ted could steal baby 'possuht have been a trap - there was no way to tell that all of the soldiers had got back into the trucks The ht have been followed; certainly he had been trapped too easily