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.The body, the tires, the upholstery—all looked first-class.The motor seemed to be a little tight and sluggish, but that was only natural in a car which had been standing idle for several months.Pop was at home when I returned.He was obviously displeased with the news of my bootlegging, but more concerned for my safety.I had to leave.The family was breaking up.It was no time for the reproaches which he must have felt like handing me.We got the car loaded and made our farewells.Hardly more than an hour from the time of the radio news flash, Mom and Freddie and I were on our way out of town.It was a scorching hot afternoon.We had gotten about five miles out on the highway when the smoke began to rise from the hood.Before I could get to a filling station, some five miles farther, the motor was pounding ominously.I got out and looked it over.The radiator was full of water.The fan belt was okay, and the oil gauge stood at the full mark.I let the car cool awhile, then I drove on again.The motor grew hotter, the pounding louder.Mom looked at me, frowning."What's the matter, Jimmie? Why does it do that?""We've got a flat crankshaft," I said."It's been packed with sawdust and tractor oil.Now, it's working loose.""Is it—will it cost much to fix?""It will.And it won't stay fixed.The bearings will work right loose again.""But how.what in the world will we do?""Go as far as we can, then—well, we'll have to see when the time comes."We rode on, and smoke and fumes poured up through the floor boards.The whole car shook with the pounding of the motor.Freddie stoppered her ears with her fingers and hung her head out the window.Mom snatched her back inside, turned on me furiously."Honest to goodness, Jimmie! What is the matter with you? This car's about to fall apart and we're practically broke and we've got to travel halfway across the United States and—and—and you sit there laughing! What's the matter with you, anyway? How can you do it?""I don't know," I said."I guess I just don't know of anything else to do."ENDTable of ContentsTitle page12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728293031 [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]