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it out； and no one even to care whether it burned。 When the flames died down； nothing was left to burn。
There came a time when even talking seemed a labor。 So mostly now Ish merely sat fortably in the sun； and beside him sat an even older man who coughed and grew thinner。 It was hard to tell just how the days passed and how they ran into weeks； and even the years seemed to flow with a man's scarcely noticing them。 Yet Ezra remained； and sometimes Ish thought to himself； 〃Though he coughs and coughs and grows thinner； yet he will outlive me。〃
But now； since even talking was a labor； the mind turned inward on itself； and Ish thought of all this strange life。 What was the difference in the end？ Even if there had been no Great Disaster； he would now be a very old man。 Now doubtless； if it had not happened otherwise； he would be Professor Emeritus； puttering around； taking some books out of the Library and intending to do some research； a little of a nuisance to the younger men in their fifties and sixties who now ran the Department…though they might say loyally to the graduate students； 〃That's Professor Williams…a great scholar； once。 We're very proud of him。〃
Now the Old Times were deeper buried than Nineveh or Mohenjodaro。 He himself had seen everything crash and go under。 Yet curiously； too； all that crash had not been able to destroy his personality。 He was still the same person he would have been as Professor Emeritus； even though now the shadows were closing in on his mind while he sat on a lonely hillside as the dying patriarch of a primitive tribe。
At some time in those years something else strange began to happen。 The younger men had always e to Ish for advice； but now…even though the shadows were closing in on his mind…they began to e in a different way。 Whether he sat on the hillside in the sun； or whether； during rain and fog； he sat in the house； still they began to e to him bearing little gifts…a handful of ripe berries of which he was fond； or a bright stone or piece of colored glass to flash in the sun。 Ish did not care for the glass or stones； even though the stones were sometimes sapphires or emeralds taken from a jewelry store； but he appreciated the gifts because he realized that the young men were giving him things by which they themselves would be pleased。
Having given him something； they would formally ask a question； while he sat holding his hammer。 Sometimes they asked about the weather； and then Ish was glad to answer。 He could still look at his father's barometer； and so he could often say…what the young men could not know…whether the low clouds would soon vanish before the sun's heat or they indicated an approaching storm。
But sometimes they asked him other questions…as； for instance； in which direction they should go for good hunting。 Then Ish did not wish to answer； for he knew nothing of such matters。 But when he did not answer； the young men were displeased； and then they would pinch him roughly。 Because he was in pain he answered them； even though he knew nothing。 He would cry out； 〃Go south！〃 or 〃Go beyond the hills！〃 Then the young men were pleased and went off。 Ish sometimes feared that they would e back and pinch him because they had not found good hunting； but they never did。
During those years； there were days when he thought clearly； and other days when a fog seemed to hang in all the corners of his brain。 But one day when they came to ask him a question and he was clear…minded； he realized that he must have bee a god； or at least an oracle by which a god spoke。 Then he remembered that time long ago when the children had been afraid to carry the hammer and when they had nodded knowingly at his saying he was an American。 Yet he had never wished to be a god。
One day Ish sat on the hillside in the sun； and after a while he looked at his left side； and saw that no one sat there。 Then he realized that at last Ezra； the good helper； was gone； and that no one would ever sit there beside him on the hillside again。 At that thought he gripped the handle of the hammer； which in these days was very heavy for him to lift； even with both hands。
〃It is called a single…jack；〃 he thought； 〃but now it is too heavy for my one hand。 Yet now it has bee the symbol of a tribal god； and it is still with me； though all the others； even Ezra； have gone。〃
Then； because the shock of that sudden knowledge about Ezra had made him think and see more clearly； he looked alertly about him； and observed that he was sitting on the slope of the hill where many years before there had been a neat garden and was now only a trampled place of tall grass in the midst of overgrown bushes and high trees； with a half…ruined house standing up from among the tangle。
Then he looked at the sun； and saw that it was in the east； not in the west； as he had thought it would be。 Also； it was far to the north； so that the season must be nearly mid…summer； whereas he had thought it should be early spring。 Yes； in all those years； as he had sat on the hillside； he had lost hold of time itself； so that the swinging of the sun from east to west with the passing of the day seemed much the same as the swinging of the sun from north to south with the passing of the seasons； and he had lost track of them both。 This thought made him feel very old and very sad。
Perhaps that sadness brought back to him the thought of other sadness also； and he thought：
〃Yes； Em is gone； and Joey； and even Ezra； my helper； is gone now。〃
When he thus recalled all that had happened； and his loneliness； he began to cry gently； for he was an old man； and he could not control what he did。 And he thought to himself； 〃Yes； they are all gone！ I am the last American！〃
End of the second inter…chapter called Quick Years。
3
The Last American
'Tis merry； 'tis merry in good greenwood。
… Old Song
Chapter 1
Perhaps it was that same day or perhaps it was only that same summer or perhaps even it was another year。。。。 When Ish looked up； he saw； very clearly； a young man standing in front of him。 The young man wore a neat…enough pair of blue jeans with copper rivets shining brightly； and yet over his shoulders he wore a tawny hide with sharp claws dangling from it。 In his hand he held a strong bow； and over his shoulder was a quiver with the feathered ends of arrows sticking from it。 Ish blinked； for in his old eyes the sunshine was strong。
〃Who are you？〃 said Ish。
The young man answered respectfully； 〃I am Jack； Ish； as indeed you yourself well know。〃
The way he said 〃Ish〃 did not indicate that he was trying to be unduly familiar with an old man； thus calling him by a nickname； but rather it carried something of great respect and even of awe； and as if 〃Ish〃 stood for much more than merely the name of an old man。
But Ish himself was confused； and he squinted； peering more carefully； because at short distances he no longer saw clearly。 But he was sure that Jack should have dark hair； or perhaps turned somewhat gray by now； and this one who called himself Jack had long wavy yellow hair。
〃You should not make jokes with an old man；〃 said Ish。 〃Jack is my oldest son； and I would recognize him。 He has dark hair； and he is older than you。〃
The young man laughed； but politely； and said； 〃You are talking； Ish； of my grandfather； as indeed you yourself well know。〃 Again the way in which he said 〃Ish〃 had a certain strange sound to it； and now Ish noticed also the strangeness of his other repeated words； 〃as indeed you yourself well know。〃
〃Are you of the First Ones？〃 Ish asked。 〃Or of the Others？〃
〃Of the First Ones；〃 he said。
Then； as Ish still looked； he was puzzled that the young man； who was certainly not a child； was carrying a bow instead of a rifle。 〃Why do you not have a rifle？〃 he asked。
〃Rifles are good for playthings！〃 the young man said； and he laughed； a little scornfully perhaps。 〃You cannot be sure of a rifle； as indeed you yourself； Ish； well know。 Sometimes the rifle works； and it makes the big noise； but other times you pull the trigger； and it only goes 'click。'〃 Here he snapped his fingers。 〃So you cannot use the rifles for real hunting； although the older men say that this was not so in the long past years。 But now we use the arrow because it is sure； and never refuses to fly and besides；〃 here the young man held himself proudly； 〃besides； it is a matter of strength and skill to shoot with the bow…but anyone； they say； could shoot with a rifle； as you yourself； Ish； well know。〃
〃Let me see an arrow；〃 said Ish。
The young man took an arrow from the quiver； and looked at it； and then handed it across。
〃That is a good arrow；〃 he said。 〃I made it myself。〃
Ish looked at the arrow and felt the weight of it。 This was no plaything for a child。 The shaft was nearly a yard long； split cleanly from a billet of flawless straight…grained wood； and then rounded and smoothed。 It was well feathered； with pinions of some kind； although Ish could not see well enough to know what bird had yielded the feathers。 By feeling； however； he could tell that they were arranged carefully so that the arrow in f