Biddy Parker kicked a heel into Buck's flank and said, "Davey--the light's gone out now. I wonder what it was. It wasn't the moon." "No, the moon's coming up over there. Probably somebody parking in a car and then they drove on." "But we didn't see the lights move away." "No. Well, you say we go right by there. Maybe we can find out." "It's not very far. We'll be there soon." The moon came up in desert splendor and the landscape brightened. The rocks threw shadows and for all purposes it was the light of day. Shadows of rocks. And another shadow as Biddy and Davey approached the place. The shadow of--Biddy reached over and touched Davey's arm. "Look--Davey! Do you see--?" "I see it. A--a man! He's hanging from the tree there, Biddy. He's killed himself--or somebody has--" "But nobody is around. I wonder who it is." Biddy's heels beat a veritable tattoo on Buck's little flanks and the burro went into a reluctant trot. Closer they came, closer, until Biddy cried, "Davey--Davey--it's Joe hanging there!" "You mean the man we're going to find?" "Yes--yes. He's dead! Davey--somebody did this. Joe would never--" "That's not important now. See if it's too late!" Biddy slid off Buck and ran to the tree. She could just reach the waist of the hanging figure. She began to cry and turned a streaming face to Davey. "I--I can't help him! I can't even reach! There's nothing I can do!" "And I'm helpless too!" Davey had tears in his eyes too--tears of anger as he reached for his two canes and tried to struggle from the jeep. "You can't, Davey! You'll hurt yourself!" Davey stopped. "Wait a minute, Biddy. Do you think you could climb the tree and go out on the limb and cut the rope?" "I haven't got any knife." "I have. Here--do you want to try?" "I can do it." "You'll have to hurry. Every second may be important." "He'll hurt himself falling maybe." "Skin up that tree. I'll swing the jeep around under him. It will break the fall and then we'll take him to a doctor. Hurry." Davey backed the jeep in under the body while Biddy climbed resolutely carrying the knife between her teeth. She got a little dizzy but she closed her eyes and when she had wriggled far enough out on the limb, she cut at the rope until it separated. At that moment, two things happened. The body fell heavily into the back seat of the jeep and the car itself went completely dead. The motor died, the lights faded slowly and the glow of the moon illuminated the scene. As Biddy climbed down from the tree, Davey kicked again and again at the starter. There was no sign of life in the battery. Biddy came to the car and Davey stared at her blankly. "Something happened to the car. Even the starter won't turn over." "Try--try again!" Davey pressed the pedal and finally gave up. "It's no use. The crate's letting us down when we need it most." "Then we've got to use Buck. We've got to get Joe to where he can get help." "But--but he's dead."