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           Tomdrewhislipsoverhisteethandthensnappedthemopen.Hespreadhishandshelplesslyandletthemflopagainsthissides."Pa,"hesaid,"ifyouwastorushheronesidean’metheotheran’thentheres’pileon,an’Granmajumpdownontop,maybewecangetMa’thoutmore’ntwo-threeofusgetskilledwiththattherejackhandle.Butifyouain’twillin’togetyourheadsmashed,IguessMa’swentan’filledherflush.JesusChrist,onepersonwiththeirmindmadeupcanshovealotoffolksaroun’!Youwin,Ma.Putawaythatjackhandle’foreyouhurtsomebody."

           Malookedinastonishmentatthebarofiron.Herhandtrembled.Shedroppedherweaponontheground,andTom,withelaboratecare,pickeditupandputitbackinthecar.Hesaid,"Pa,youjus’gotsetbackonyourheels.Al,youdrivethefolksonan’get’emcamped,an’thenyoubringthetruckbackhere.Mean’thepreacher’llgetthepanoff.Then,ifwecanmakeit,we’llruninSantaRosaan’tryan’getacon-rod.Maybewecan,seein’it’sSat’dynight.Getjumpin’nowsowecango.Lemmehavethemonkeywrenchan’pliersoutathetruck."Hereachedunderthecarandfeltthegreasypan."Oh,yeah,lemmehaveacan,thatol’bucket,tocatchtheoil.Gottosavethat."AlhandedoverthebucketandTomsetitunderthecarandloosenedtheoilcapwithapairofpliers.Theblackoilfloweddownhisarmwhileheunscrewedthecapwithhisfingers,andthentheblackstreamransilentlyintothebucket.