'Yes. Yes, I'm sure it is.' 'And the go-faster pedal and the go-slower pedal and everything! 'Only you don't look very pleased.' 'You've given me a lot to think about, I'm sure.' Angalo grabbed him by the sleeve. 'They said there was only one Store,' he said urgently. 'There isn't, there's so much outside, so much. There's other Stores. I saw some. There could be nomes living in 'em! Life in other Stores! Of course, you know.' 'You get some more sleep,' said Masklin, as kindly as he could manage.

'When are we going to go?' 'There's plenty of time,' said Masklin. 'Don't worry about it. Get some sleep.' He wandered out of the sick-room and straight into an argument. The Duke had returned, with some followers, and wanted to take Angalo up to the Stationery Department. He was arguing with Granny Morkie. Or trying to, anyway.

'Madam, I assure you he'll be well looked after!' he was saying.

'Humph! Wotdo you people know about doctrin'? You hardly ever have anything go wrong here! Where I come from,' said Granny, proudly, 'it's sick, sick, sick all year round. Colds and sprains and bellyache and bites the whole time. That's what you call experience. I reckon I've seen more ifi people than you've had hot dinners and,' she prodded the Duke in the stomach, 'you've had a few of those.' 'Madam, I could have you imprisoned!' roared the Duke.

Granny sniffed. 'And what has that got to do with it?' she said.

The Duke opened his mouth to roar back, and then caught sight of Masklin. He shut it again.

'Very well,' he said. 'You are, in fact, quite right. But I will visit him every day.' 'No longer than two minutes, mind,' sniffed Granny.

'Five!' said the Duke.

'Three,' said Granny.

'Four,' they agreed.

The Duke nodded, and beckoned Masklin towards him.

'You have spoken to my son,' he said.

'Yes, sir,' said Masklin.

'And he told you what he saw.' 'Yes, sir.' The Duke looked quite small. Masklin had always thought of him as a big nome, but now he realized that most of the size was a sort of inward inflation, as if the nome was pumped up with importance and authority. It had gone now.

The Duke looked worried and uncertain. 'Ah,' he said, looking approximately at Mask­lin's left ear. 'I think I sent you some people, didn't I?' 'Yes.' 'Satisfactory, are they?' 'Yes, sir.' 'Let me know if you need any more help, won't you? Any help at all.' The Duke's voice faded to a mumble. He patted Masklin vaguely on the shoul­der and wandered away.

'What's up with him?' said Masklin. Granny Morkie started to roll bandages in a businesslike way. No one needed them, but she believed in having a good supply. Enough for the whole world, apparently.

'He's having to think,' she said. 'That always worries people.' 'I just never thought it would be as hard as this!' Masklin wailed.

'You mean you didn't have any idea how we can drive one?' said Gurder.

'None at all?' said Grimma.

'I ... well, I suppose I thought the lorries sort of went where you wanted,' said Masklin.

'I thought if they did it for humans they'd do it for us. I didn't expect all this go-one-two-pull stuff ! Those wheels and pedals are huge, I've seen them!' He stared distractedly at their faces.

'I've thought about it for ages,' he said. He felt they were the only two he could trust.

The cardboard door slid open and a small, cheerful face appeared.

'You'll like this one, Mr Masklin,' he said, 'I've been doing some more reading.' 'Not now, Vinto. We're a bit busy,' said Masklin. Vinto's face fell.

'Oh, you might as well listen to him,' said Grimma. 'It's not as if we've got anything more important to do now.' Masklin hung his head.

'Well, lad,' said Gurder, with forced cheerfulness, 'what idea have you come with this time, eh? Pul­ling the lorry with wild hamsters, eh?' 'No, sir,' said Vinto.

'Maybe you think we could make it grow wings and fly away in the sky?' 'No, sir. I found this book, it's how to capture humans, sir. And then we can get a gnu-' Masklin gave the others a sick little smile.

'I explained to him that we can't use humans,' he said. 'I told you, Vinto. And I'm really not cer­tain about threatening people with antelopes-' With a grunt of effort, the boy swung the book open.

'It's got a picture in it, sir.' They looked at the picture. It showed a human lying down. He was surrounded by nomes, and covered with ropes.

'Gosh,' said Grimma, 'they've got books with pictures of us!' 'Oh, I know this one,' said Gurder dismissively 'It's Gulliver's Travels. It's just stories, it's not real' 'Pictures of us in a book,' said Grimma. 'Imagine that. You see it, Masklin?' Masklin stared.

'Yes, you're a good boy, well done,' said Gurder, his voice sounding far off. 'Thank you very much, Vinto, and now please go away.' Masklin stared. His mouth dropped open. He felt the ideas fizz up inside him and slosh into his head.

'The ropes,' he said.

'It's just a picture,' said Gurder.

'The ropes! Grimma, the ropes!' 'The ropes?' Masklin raised his fists and stared up at the ceiling. At times like this, it was almost possible to believe that there was someone up there, above Kiddies Klothes.

'I can see the way!' he shouted, while the three of them watched in astonishment. 'I can see the way! Arnold Bros (est. 1905), I can see the way!' After Closing Tune that evening several dozen small and stealthy figures crept across the garage floor and disappeared under one of the parked lorries. Anyone listening would have heard the occasional tiny clink, thud or swear word. After ten minutes they were in the cab.

They stood in wonder, looking around. :Masklin wandered over to one of the pedals, which was taller than he was, and gave it an experimental push. It didn't so much as wobble. Several of the others came over and helped, and managed to get it to move a little One nome stood and watched them thought­fully It was Dorcas, wearing a belt from which hung a variety of home-made tools, and he was idly twiddling the pencil lead that was kept per­manently behind one ear when it wasn't being used.

Masklin walked back to him.

'What d'you think?' he said.

Dorcas rubbed his nose. 'It's all down to levers and pulleys,' he said. 'Amazing things, levers. Give me a lever long enough, and a firm enough place to stand, and I could move the Store.' 'Just one of these pedals would be enough for now,' said Masklin politely.

Dorcas nodded. 'We'll give it a try,' he said. 'All right, lads. Bring it up.' A length of wood, carried all the way down from the Home Handyman Department, was nomehandled into the cab. Dorcas ambled around, measuring distances with a piece of thread, and finally had them wedge one end into a crack in the metal floor. Four nomes lined up at the other end and hauled the wood across until it was resting on the lever.

'Right, lads,' said Dorcas again.

They pushed down. The pedal went all the way to the floor. There was a ragged cheer.

'How did you do that?' said Masklin.

'That's levers for you,' said Dorcas. '0-kay.' He looked around, scratching his chin. 'So we'll need three levers.' He looked up at the great circle of the steering wheel. 'You have any ideas about that?' he said.

'I thought ropes,' said Masklin.

'How d'you mean?' 'It's got those spokes in it, so if we tie ropes to them and have teams of nomes on the ropes, they could pull it one way or the other and that'll make the lorry go the way we want,' said Masklin.

Dorcas squinted at the wheel. He paced the floor. He looked up. He looked down. His lips moved as he worked things out.

'They won't see where they're going,' he said finally.

thought, someone could stand right up there, by the big window in the front, and sort of tell them what to do?' said Masklin, looking hopefully at the old nome.

'These're powerful noisy things, young Angalo said,' said Dorcas. He scratched his chin again. 'I reckon I can do something about that. Then there's this big lever here, the Beer Lever-' 'Gear Lever,' said Masklin.