We'll be lucky if we can just take ourselves. There's no time!' Another messenger came running up. It was one of Dorcas's group. He whispered something to Masklin, who gave a strange smile.
'Can it be that Arnold Bros (est. 1905) has abandoned us in our hour of need?' said Gurder.
'I don't think so. He may be helping us,' said Masklin. 'Because, well, you'll never guess where the humans are putting all this stuff...'
12
i. And the Outsider said, Glory to the Name of Arnold Bros (est. 1905).
ii. For he hath Sent us a Lorry, and the Humans are loading it now with all manner of Things needful to nomes. It is a Sign. Everything Must Go. Including us.
From The Book of Nome, Exits Chap. 2, v.I-II Half an hour later Masklin lay on the girder with Dorcas, looking down at the garage.
He had never seen it so busy. Humans sleep-walked across the floor, carrying bundles of carpet into the backs of some of the lorries. Yellow things, like a cross between a very small lorry and a very large armchair, inched around them, stacking boxes. Dorcas passed him the telescope.
'Busy little things, ain't they,' he said conversationally. 'Been at it all morning, they have. A couple of lorries have already gone out and come back, so they can't be going very far.' 'The letter we saw said something about a new Store,' said Masklin. Perhaps they're taking the stuff there.' 'Could be. It's mostly carpets at the moment, and some of the big frozen humans from Fashions.' Masklin made a face. According to Gurder, the big pink humans that stood in Fashions, and Kiddies Klothes, and Young Living, and never moved at all, were those who had incurred Arnold Bros (est. 1905)'s displeasure. They had been turned into horrible pink stuff, and some said they could even be taken apart. But certain Klothian philosophers said no, they were particularly good humans, who had been allowed to stay in the Store for ever and not made to disappear at Closing Time. Religion was very hard to understand.
As Masklin watched, the big roller door creaked upwards and a lorry nearby started with a roar and ground slowly out into the blinding daylight.
What we need,' he said, 'is a lorry with a lot of stuff from the Ironmongery Department. Wire, you know, and tools and things. Have you seen any food?' 'Looked like a lot of stuff from the Food Hall on the first lorry out,' said Dorcas.
'We'll have to make do, then.' 'What'll I do,' said Dorcas slowly, 'if they load it all up on a lorry and drive it away? They're working powerful fast, for humans.' 'Surely they can't empty the Store in one day?' said Masklin.
Dorcas shrugged.
'Who knows?' he said.
'You'll have to stop the lorry from leaving,' said Masklin.
'How? By throwing myself under it?' 'Any way you can think of,' said Masklin.
Dorcas grinned. 'I'll find a way. The lads are getting used to this place.' Refugees were flowing into the Ironmongery Department from all over the Store, filling all the space under the floor with a frightened buzz of whispered conversation. Many of them looked up as Masklin walked past, and what he saw in their faces terrified him.
They believe I can help, he thought. They're looking at me as if I'm their only hope.
And I don't know what to do. Probably none of it will work, we should have had more time. He forced himself to look brimful of confidence, and it seemed to satisfy people. All they wanted to know was that someone, somewhere, knew what they were doing. Masklin wondered who it was; it certainly wasn't him.
The news was bad from everywhere. A lot of the Gardening Department had been cleared. Most of the Clothes departments were empty. The counters were being ripped out of Cosmetics, although fortunately not many nomes lived there. Masklin could hear, even here, the thud and crunch of the work going on.
Finally he could stand it no longer. Too many people kept staring at him. He went back down to the garage, where Dorcas was still watching from his spy post on top of the girder.
'What's happened?' said Masklin.
The old nome pointed to the lorry immediately below them.
'That's the one we want,' he said. 'It's got all sorts in it. Lots of stuff from the Do-It-Yourself Department. There's even some haberdashery things, needles and whatnot. All the stuff you told me to look out for.
We've got to stop them driving it out!' said Masklin. Dorcas grinned.
'The machinery that raises the door won't work,' he said. 'The fuse has gone.' What's a fuse?' said Masklin.
Dorcas picked up a long, thick red bar lying by his feet. 'This is,' he said.
'You took it?' 'Tricky job, we had to tie a bit of string round it. Made a powerful big spark when we pulled it out.' 'But I expect they can put another one in,' said Masklin.
'Oh, they did,' said Dorcas, with a self-satisfied expression. 'They're not daft. Didn't work though, because after we took the fuse out the lads went and cut the wires inside the wall in a couple of places. Very dangerous, but it'll take the humans for ever to find it.' 'Hmm. But supposing they lever the door up?' 'Won't do them any good. It's not as if the lorry will go, anyway.' 'Why not?' Dorcas pointed downwards. Masklin watched, and after a moment saw a couple of small figures scurry out from under the lorry and dive into the shadows by the wall. They were carrying a pair of pliers.
A moment later a solitary figure hurried after them, dragging a length of wire.
'Powerful lot of wire them lorries need,' said Dorcas. 'This one ain't got so much, now.' Funny, isn't it. Take away a tiny spark and the lorry won't go. Don't worry, though, I reckon we'll know where to put it all back later' There was a clang down below. One of the humans had given the door a kick.
'Temper, temper,' said Dorcas mildly.
'You've thought of just about everything,' said Masklin, admiringly.
'I hope so,' said Dorcas. 'But we'd better make sure, hadn't we.' He stood up and produced a large white flag, which he waved over his head. There was an answering flicker of white from the shadows on the far side of the garage.
And then the lights went out.
'Useful thing, electricity,' said Dorcas, in the darkness. There was a rumble of annoyance from the humans below, and then a jangling noise as one of them walked into something. After some grunting and a few more thuds, one of the humans found a doorway out into the basement, and the rest of them followed it.
'Don't you think they'll suspect something?' said Masklin.
'There's other humans working in the Store, they'll probably think they caused it,' said Dorcas.
'That electricity is amazing stuff,' said Masklin. 'Can you make it? The Count de Ironmongri was very mysterious about it.' 'That's because the Ironmongri don't know anything,' sniffed Dorcas. 'Just how to steal it. I can't seem to get the hang of the reading business, but young Vinto has been looking at books for me. He says making electricity is very simple. You just need to get hold of some stuff called you-ranium. I think it's a kind of metal.' 'Is there some in the Ironmongery Department?' said Masklin hopefully.
'Apparently not,' said Dorcas.
The Thing wasn't very helpful, either.
'I doubt if you are ready for nuclear power yet,' it said. 'Try windmills.' Masklin finished putting his possessions, such as they were, in a bag.
'When we leave,' he said, 'you won't be able to talk, will you? You need electricity to drink.' 'That is the case, yes.' 'Can't you tell us which way we should go?' 'No. However, I detect radio traffic indicative of airline activity to the north of here.' Masklin hesitated. 'That's good, is it?' 'It means there are flying machines.' 'And we can fly all the way home?' said Masklin. 'No. But they may be the next step. it may be possible to communicate with the starship. But first, you must ride the lorry.' 'After that, I should think anything is possible,' said Masklin gloomily. He looked expectantly at the Thing, and then noticed with horror that its lights were going off, one by one.