Every time Abdul shifted gears the car growled in protest and Roy dozing on the seat beside him stirred uneasily, shifted his position, and dozed off again. When they had first started out, he had pointed out that there must be something wrong with the transmission or the clutch.
"It's been this way for a couple of years." said Abdul. "Nothing to worry about."
The shock absorbers were not in good condition either, and whenever the road was the least bit rough, they were bounced around unmercifully. But as Abdul remarked cheerfully, "It's better than walking."
"Would you like me to drive for a while?" asked Roy.
"No— maybe when I get tired. Why don't you take a nap? When we get to my uncle's house, we may be staying up late."
"Oh, I'm all right. You know there's a knock in the engine?"
"A knock? Oh, you mean that little tick you hear? It's nothing, believe me. Mahmoud is very good with automobiles, and he keeps this one tuned like a watch. Well, maybe not like a watch, but like a good serviceable alarm clock. It is perhaps not so quiet as the cars you are used to. nor is the ride so smooth; but it always starts, and it always goes."
"Yeah, well...It's pretty good on gas. I'll say that for it.
We’ve been driving for over an hour and the needle on the tank gauge hasn't moved."
Abdul chuckled. "The gauge doesn't work. The needle never moves."
"Then how do you know when you need gas?"
"Mahmoud knows. Every now and then he fills it. Never once has he run out. He assured me we had enough gas to get to my uncle's house."
"Just where is your uncle's place. Abdul?"
"North, up in the Galilee. Not far from the border," he added lightly.
"I mean, is it in some town or—"
"Up there, in that area, there are only a few small villages. I'm sure no place you’ve ever heard of."
"He lives in the village?"
"He has a house in the village, several houses, but he lives on his farm which is away from the village. It is to his farm that we are going."
"You know the road all right?"
"Oh!" Abdul shrugged his shoulders expressively.
"And you're sure I'll be welcome? I mean, he doesn't know I'm coming."
"You don't understand about Arab hospitality. Roy. I am his nephew. That means more with us than it does with you. It means I am of his family— like a son. And you are my friend. His house is like mine, and if I invite you. it is just the same as if he invited you. Do you understand?"
"I think so." He lay back in his seat and stared up through the windshield at the bright stars in the inky sky. "And he will not mention that I am there? I mean—"
"I know what you mean. Rov. To whom would he mention it? To the police? Even if he thought they might be interested in you and that you were hiding from them, you would be perfectly safe. You are a guest, and a guest is sacred."
"Yeah, well that's nice to know. Maybe by the time we get back, my father will have straightened matters out at the embassy—"
"I am sure, it will all be straightened out." He glanced at his companion and saw that his eyes were shut. "Roy?" he said softly. The only answer he got was a drowsy murmur. Abdul smiled and focused his eyes on the road. Once or twice he glanced over, but Roy slept on.
He woke up suddenly as the car came to a bone-jolting stop. He was flung against the door and then back against the seat. "Wha-what's the matter? Are we there already?"
"We are in a ditch." said Abdul. "And we are out of gas."
"But—"
"It is no matter. Roy. We are practically there. As a matter of fact, we are on the edge of my uncle's estate— but the far edge. We will go the rest of the way on foot. It's just as well, because from here the road — road?— a couple of ruts in the ground— goes way off and then loops around. We will take a shortcut through the woods—"
"But the car— what do we do about the car?" Roy grumbled as he climbed out.
"I will have my uncle haul it in with a team of mules. It will be all right where it is for the present. Follow me." He plunged into a thicket of bamboo.
"You know the direction?"
"Oh, sure, but keep your voice down. Roy. Some of my uncle's people might be out and think we are trespassers."
"Yeah. well, maybe you could call to them." he said as he trudged along behind the shadowy figure of his friend. He was still not fully awake, and he found himself stumbling over the rocky and uneven ground.
Suddenly, from the side there came a shout of "Halt!"
Roy froze in his tracks, but Abdul began to run. "This way. Roy. Run. Run." A shot rang out, and he saw his friend stagger and fall.