Железный человек
The Return of the Iron Man
AnIronMan?Nonsense,hesaid.
SoHogarth’sfathergotbackinhiscar.Nowitwasdarkandithadbeguntorain. Hedrovetothenextfarm.
Thatfarmerfrowned.Hebelieved.Tomorrow,hesaid,wemustseewhatheis,thisironman. Hisfeetwillhavelefttracksintheearth.
SoHogarth’sfatheragaingotbackintohiscar. Butasheturnedthecarintheyard,hesawastrangethingintheheadlamps. Halfatractorlaythere,justhalf,choppedcleanoff,theotherhalfmissing. Hegotoutofhiscarandtheotherfarmercametolooktoo. Thetractorhadbeenbittenoff–therewerebigteeth-marksinthesteel.
Noexplanation!Thetwomenlookedateachother.Theywerepuzzledandafraid. Whatcouldhavebittenthetractorintwo?There,intheyard,intherain,inthenight,whiletheyhadbeentalkinginsidethehouse.
Thefarmerraninandboltedhisdoor.
Hogarth’sfatherjumpedintohiscaranddroveoffintothenightandtherainasfastashecould,homeward.
Therainpoureddown. Hogarth’sfatherdrovehard. Theheadlightslituptheroadandbushes.
Suddenly–twoheadlampsinatalltreetopattheroadsideahead. Headlampsinatreetop?How?
Hogarth’sfatherslowed,peeringuptoseewhatthelightsmightbe,upthereinthetreetop.
Asheslowed,agiantironfootcamedowninthemiddleoftheroad,afootasbigasasinglebed. Andtheheadlampscamedowncloser.Andagianthandreacheddowntowardsthewindshield.
TheIronMan!
Hogarth’sfatherputonspeed,heaimedhiscaratthefoot.
Crash!Heknockedthefootoutoftheway.
