And Then the Town Took Off

n. She had been sitting in a camp chair, bundled in heavy clothing, when she died. She had been subject to heart trouble and th

Someone stealing my mushrooms; mu

avity increases. Superior rising again? Movement in corn

withd

at? No.

But the e

was

t became exhibits one and two in Doc Bendy's dossier. Exhibit three was a c

f Reilly Street. The stock control clerk, Armand Specht, was taking inventor

, half-dozen at time. Looked like overgrown chimpanzee. It turned and saw me, continuing to chew. Didn't get clear look before it disappeared but noticed two things: one, that its cheeks bulged out from chewing s

bit

r D

got out the Scrabble and asked Mom and Dad to play but they said no they had to go to the Warners and play bridge. So they went and I was playing prete

ble. I thought wouldn't it be funny if it could play but it couldn't. But it could spell! It had hands like claws with long b

t Who are you and

re you and it put all th

Here. Then I changed to Where do you com

them about it but I'll tell Grandfather Bendy because he underst

ation that it had been only twenty-four hours since Superior took off. It s

e at work. Welcome Superior-Dri

e brink. Alis Garet was there among a

" she asked him. "Where's

rk? I can't quite make it out. It's somewhere so

t of Ohio. I thought Ne

're four miles up. Have you seen

y down," she said. "Were

ht be some Federal boys flying around. I shouldn't think th

going to

we don't ch

hy

Don't ask me why.' I ask you. You're c

s said, "I told you I don

got an inkling o

he Master Mind, if t

The chief of police? Or the b

ent to grade school with him and if

e's just a k

ice runs things. We call him Cheeky because he always had a wad of company gum in his cheek. Sup

tched the coastline. "That's Connecticut now," he s

tion of New England. As it came closer Don saw that it was a B-58 Hustler bomber. He recogniz

o shoot us down,

me somebody took an interest in us besides

last few miles between them,

rough the cold air. "Inasmuch as you are now leaving the continental United States, this aircraft has been

It's not much, but at least

d took up a course in a

-I don't know-let's say a foreign power, or an alien race. Once we're out over the Atlantic where nobody else cou

y. "What's this about an

self-important VIP's in Superior put together." She squeezed his arm as if to draw comfort from him. "Maybe it's

rough his arm. "It isn't as though this were a precedented situation. But what

aid. "And you'r

that was it; the mechanical eavesdropper he wore under his collar was making him too self-conscious. He tr

he drew Alis closer and ga

n continent about to be left behind, they were paying more attention. Yet Don could see no signs of alarm on their faces. At most there was a reflection of wonder, but not much more than there might be among a group of Europeans seeing New

which was virtually the only thing left to see except the bright b

oss town and take a last look at the States?" He also

hope. I'd prefe

door for them. "Special excursion rate

Don said. "Ho

eet. No buses. Hi, Alis. This isn't one of y

it, though I'm sure you'd never get him to

ose to China. This week it's Australia. He said at supper last night that they must have heard about this hole and start

?" Don sat

are. I guess he's studyin

e kangaroo t

. "There's nothing wrong with the

ed to talk to bears. But what did

didn't like it Down Under any more and

that Superior had passed the twelve-mile limit-east fro

ible. They walked up to the head teller, threatened him with pistols and demanded all the money in all the tills. They stuffed the bill

bbery that the men might have been after the brief case he'd stored there, which would have meant that

iminals left it. His car had frozen up and wouldn't start. He arrived b

poolroom lounger named Hank Stacy, had go

g other questions the telephone rang and someone told the bank president he'd seen Negus and Stacy

'd rather be dog catcher

the police chief got there, dividing the money in three piles. A third man

said easily. "Come to

t hand over that money," Grande said. He h

heir guns, Stacy seemed nervous but Negus w

ey, Vince?" Jer

whose money it is.

place I wouldn't want to, thirty-three and a third per cent of

Grande said doggedly. "I do

t in various pockets. "I said you had no authority. Bank robbery is a federal offense. Not that I admit there's been a robbery. But if

. "Go take a flying ju

you che

ot even a crook, in my professional opini

tart of Superi

r's dry-goods store and got away with blankets, half

was found abandoned in the morning. About nine hundred gallons had been drain

mebody made off with a variety of groceries. The m

or's growing food and fuel shortage and icy te

hed the window at Kimbrough's Jewelry Store a

saints. When they were surprised by Father Brian they fled, bombarding him with prayer books.

n the movie-house balcony

n was becoming unpleasant. Superior had always been a friendly place to live, where everyone knew everyone else, at

meeting in Town Square. Bonfires were lit and the reviewing stand that was us

ping their feet and beginning to shout a bit when he arrived. Th

, then stopped to search th

ch in an inside pocket and it's too cold to

nd watched the people around him. They mostly had a no-nonsense look a

u already know-how our food supplies are dwindling, how we're using up our stock

ector," somebo

o talk about what the problem is. W

heer, or applause, but the crow

the Red Cross and the State or Federal Government for help. But we've been the v

" an old woman said.

Potts," Civek said. "You sho

nd now we're running out of logs. Are

op to this lawlessness we never had before. We're going to make Superior a place to be proud of. Superior has changed-risen, you

ods to cope with new conditions, to restore law and order, to s

me hushed as Civek

momentous step and hereby proclaim the existence of the Kingdom of Super

where to go from there. Maybe he expected cheers to carry him over, but non

and a whispering that grew to a murmur. Then ou

t!" somebody hooted.

n gratifying but the ton

ody else cried. "Hey, Jack, did

t I got a rope over on my truck.

nother part of the crowd pushed toward the platfor

ess. They were kangaroo-like, with long tails. No one tried to stop them, and the creatures reached the p

leaps had become prodigious as they disappeared in the direction of

her the creatures were kidn