Chapter 16 15.to the north

Stuart slept under the canoe that night.When he awoke at four o'clock, the rain had stopped.The sky has cleared up.The birds were already singing loudly on the branches overhead.Every time Stuart saw a bird, he checked carefully to see if it was Margot. He found a gas station on the edge of the town and parked the car there to refuel. "Five drops, please," Stuart said to the fuel man. "Five drops of what?" he asked. "Five drops," said Stuart.But the man shook his head and said he couldn't sell so little gas. "Why not?" Stuart asked. "You make money and I want gas. Why can't we do business?"

The man went back and found a medical dropper.Stuart unscrewed the fuel tank cap, and the man poured five drops of petrol into it. "I've never done anything like this before," he said. "You'd better watch some gasoline," said Stuart. Stuart paid, climbed into the car, started the engine, and drove down the road.The sky is getting brighter, and the morning fog by the river has not cleared.The town is still asleep.Stuart's car drove forward steadily.Stuart, who was walking on the road again, felt energetic and happy again. After driving for half a mile, the car came to a fork in the road.One road seems to be heading west, the other is still heading north.Stuart parked the car on the side of the road heading north, stepped out and looked around.He was surprised to find a man sitting on a small slope by the side of the road, leaning against a telephone pole.With riding boots on his feet and a heavy belt around his waist, Stuart guessed he must be a telephone company repairman.

"Good morning," said Stuart friendly.The mechanic saluted him by raising one hand to his head.Stuart sat down on the small slope with him and took a deep breath of the sweet fresh air. "It's going to be a fine day," he observed. "Yes," agreed the repairman, "a fine day. I'm going to climb up my pole and get to work." "I hope you hold on tight, don't slip and fall," Stuart said. "By the way, have you ever seen a bird on top of your pole?" "Yes, I have seen many birds," answered the repairman. "Oh, if you ever meet a little bird named Margot," said Stuart, "please write to me. Here's my card."

"Describe the bird," the repairman said, producing a pad and pencil. "Brown," said Stuart. "Brown, with yellow stripes on her chest." "Do you know where she flew from?" the man asked. "She came from the fields where the tall wheat grew, from the meadows with thistles and ferns; she came from the valleys with the spireas, and she liked to whistle." The mechanic jotted it all down. "Fields—wheat—valleys, ferns and thistles. Valleys, spiraea. Like to whistle." Then he put the pad back in his pocket, and slipped Stuart's card into his wallet. "I'll keep an eye out for you," he promised.

Stuart thanked him.They sat in silence for a while longer.Then the man spoke. "Which way do you want to go?" he asked. "North," said Stuart. "North side is fine," said the repairman. "I always like to go north. Of course, the South West is also good." "Yes, I think so," said Stuart, after a moment's thought. "And the east side," continued the repairman. "I had an interesting experience on the East Side, would you like to hear about it?" "No, thanks," said Stuart. The mechanic seemed a little disappointed, but he continued on. "There's something lingering about the north side," he said, "and that's what makes it different from the other directions. One can't go wrong if one keeps going north, personally, I think."

"So do I," said Stuart. "I want to keep going north from now until the end of my life." "Worse things can happen to a man on the road than death," said the mechanic. "Yes, I know," Stuart replied. "I've seen some wonderful places walking north in the direction of that broken utility pole," continued the repairman. "There are green cedars in the swamp and turtles lounging on the trunks, and nothing else; the fields surrounded by broken fences have long been deserted, and have stood there so quietly for many years; Dilapidated and long forgotten. I ate my lunch in the meadows to the north, surrounded by rows of ferns and junipers, and surrounded by howling winds. On winter nights due to the demands of work I would come to beautiful forests covered with soft, deep snow, a good place for hares to hide. Many a time have I sat quietly on the platform of a freight station facing north, breathing the warm air, quietly Spend my free time. I know there are some uninhabited lakes in the north, where there are only fish and eagles in the sky, and of course, the nose of the telephone company sticks out there. I know these places very well. But they are far from here Far away—don't forget that. A man who wants to find something in his travels must not go too fast."

"Indeed," said Stuart. "Okay, I think I should go. Thank you for your kind advice." "You're welcome," said the mechanic. "I hope you can find the bird." Stuart got up, climbed back into the car, and drove north.The sun had just climbed the hill behind him.He stared at the infinitely stretching land in front of him, knowing that there would be a long way to go.But the sky was bright, and he felt he was going in the right direction. (Finish)