The scavenger spread it out, eagerly and clumsily, displaying the few pieces on the ground. Harry advanced and stood over it, looking down.

“Look's like a gas mask to me.”

“It's diving gear,” Gary said again.

“What'cha going to use it for?”

“I dunno — I just found it.” They did not believe him.

“Where?” Harry demanded. He kicked at it viciously with a ragged shoe. “What kind of a store would have things like this? And stop lying!”

“I'm not lying. And don't kick it — you'll break the glass in the eyes.”

“I'll do any damn thing I want with it, see kid?” He flourished the shotgun and delivered another kick. “I'm boss around here. What kind of a store?”

“A place back there in town,” Gary said with ill humor and jerked a vague thumb across his shoulder. “A riverman's store — they sell boat supplies and things. They had that in the window and I took it.”

“Oh, you did? You was expecting poison gas, I suppose? If it's diving gear, what's it for?”