on't get many people comin' into town," Dawes said, looking at him
curiously. "Ain't seen a stranger in years. But you look like the rest
of us." He chuckled.

Mom called out: "Breakfast!"

* * * * *

At the table, Dawes asked his destination.

"Wedding in Salinas," he explained. "Old Army friend of mine. I picked
this hitchhiker up about two miles from here. He _seemed_ okay."

"Never can tell," Dawes said placidly, munching egg. "Hey, Ma. That why
you were so late comin' to court last night?"

"That's right, Pa." She poured the blackest coffee Sol had ever seen.
"Didn't miss much, though."

"What court is that?" Sol asked politely, his mouth full.

"Umagum," Sally said, a piece of toast sticking out from the side of her
mouth. "Don't you know _nothin'_?"

"_Arma_gon," Dawes corrected. He looked sheepishly at the stranger.
"Don't expect Mister--" He cocked an eyebrow. "What's the name?"

"Becker."

"Don't expect Mr. Becker knows anything about Armagon. It's just a
dream, you know." He smiled apologetically.

"Dream? You mean this--Armagon is a place you dream about?"

"Yep," Dawes said. He lifted cup to lip. "Great coffee, Ma." He leaned
back with a contented sigh. "Dream about it every night. Got so used to
the place, I get all confused in the daytime."

Mom said: "I get muddle-headed too, sometimes."

"You mean--" Sol put his napkin in his lap. "You mean _you_ dream about
the same place?"

"Sure," Sally piped. "We all go there at night. I'm goin' to the palace
again, too."

"If you brush your teeth," Mom said primly.

"If I brush my teeth. Boy, you shoulda seen the exelution!"

"Execution," her father said.

"Oh, my goodness!" Mom got up hastily. "That reminds me. I gotta call
poor Mrs. Brundage. It's the _least_ I could do."

"Good idea," Dawes nodded. "And I'll have to round up some folks and get
old Brundage out of there."

Sol was staring. He opened his mouth, but couldn't think of the right
question to ask. Then he blurted out: "What execution?"

"None of _your_ business," the man said coldly. "You eat up, young man.
If you want me to get Sheriff Coogan lookin' for your car."

The rest of the meal went silently, except for Sally's insistence upon
singing her school song between mouthfuls. When Dawes was through, he
pushed back his plate and ordered Sol to get ready.

Sol grabbed his topcoat and followed the man out the door.

"Have to stop someplace