The Scientific Pioneer
By Nelson S. Bond
Horse-Sense Hank could answer all the
problems of science. He could even apply
logic to love. But turnips...!
[Transcriber's Note: This etext was produced from
Amazing Stories March 1940.
Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that
the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.]
One thing about that heap of mine, it always picks the loneliest places to roll over and play doggo. It started spluttering about the time the road changed from concrete to macadam, and when the macadam trickled into a thin silver of bumpy dirt it wheezed, snorted, and gave up the ghost.
I said, "Damn!" and a few things more expressive. I got out and struggled with the hood and looked at the innards and admired their incomprehensible compactness. I jiggled a few wires here and there and nothing happened. Then I looked for telephone wires. There were none. But I discovered that I wasn't alone. There was a man leaning on the worm fence across the road, watching me with drawling incuriosity.
I said, "Hey, you! Is there a telephone anywhere around these parts?"
He shifted a billiard ball from his left cheek to his right, squinted, and shook his head.
"Nup," he said.