196

The success of your daring night raid is applauded by the colony. Mountain Goat is especially pleased that you found the part needed to fix the bus, and he is quick to remind everyone that without his help the mission would not have been possible.

After a few hours’ rest, you help Cutter and Uncle Jonas install the new steering linkage. Then you fill your roadster’s fuel tank with gasolene piped from the tanker and prepare to lead the convoy on the next stage of the long journey west.

You leave Interstate 20 and travel cross-country in order to give Strawn wide berth. Later in the afternoon you rejoin the highway as it approaches Lake Leon and the town of Eastland. You are two miles from Eastland when you spot an obstruction in the far distance that appears to be blocking the entire road. However, you are aware that the constant heat haze can play strange tricks on your vision, so you signal to the convoy to halt while you scout ahead.

A mile along the highway you discover that the obstruction is in fact a trench that has been dug diagonally across the road. It is sufficiently deep along its whole length to wreck any vehicle attempting to cross it at speed. You bring your car to a halt and step out onto the sun-scorched asphalt in order to take a closer look at this curious excavation.

If you possess a Telescope or Binoculars, turn to 34.

If you possess neither of these items, turn to 147.