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1、NeverLetaFriendDown“Cometothefootballmatchthisafternoon?”BillMcIntoshasked59-year-oldRoyceWeddingastheydrankbeerattheEurekaHotelintheAustraliantownofRainbow.Royceshookhishead.“IpromisedMomI’dburnofftheweedsononeofourfields.”Bill,whowasthinbutstrong,lookingfarlessthanhis79years,peeredoutsideat
2、thenorth,makingconditionsperfectfortheburn.ButBillfeltuneasyaboutQRoycedoingthejobalone.Thefarmerhadabadlegandwalkedwithgreatdifficult.Thepairhadbeenbestoffriendsfor30years,eversincethedayswhentheytraveledtogetherfromfarmtofarminsearchofwork.Now,livingalone12mileseastoftown,Billscrapedaliving
3、huntingfoxesandrabbits.Onceafortnighthewenttotowntobuysuppliesandcatchupwithfamily’sfarm.“I’llgiveyouahand,”Billsaid.ThepairsetoffinRoyce’scar.Soontheywerebumpingoverasandytracktotheweed-choked120-acrefield.“Fire’stheonlywaytogetridofthisstuff,”saidBillastheytiedanoldtiretothetowbarwitha50-fo
4、otchain.Soakingthetirewithgasoline,Billputamatchtoitandjumpedinthecar.Drivingslowlyfromthesouthernedgeofthefield,theyworkedtheirwayupwind,leavingalineofburningweedsintheirwake.Halfwayupthefield,andwithoutwarning,thecarpitchedviolentlyforward,plowingintoahiddenbankofsand.Thebreezesuddenlyswung
5、aroundtotheirbackandbegantogatherstrength.Fannedtowhiteheat,thefirelinesuddenlyburstintoawallofflame,headingdirectlytowardthem.“Let’sgetoutofhere!”Roycesaid.Desperatelyhetriedtobackthecaroutofthesandbank.Butthewheelsonlyspundeeperinthesoftsand.Suddenlythefirewasonthem.Billpushedhisdooronlytof
6、indhimselfflungthroughtheairas,witharoar,thegasolinetankexplodedandthecarleaptthreefeetofftheground.WhenitcrashedbackdownRoycefoundhimselfpinnedagainstthesteeringwheels,unabletomove.Thecar’sseatsandroofwerenowonfire.Billlaywherehefell,allthebreathknockedoutofhim.Thefrontofhisshirt,shorts,bare
7、armsandlegsweresoakedinburninggasoline.Thenthesightofthecarinflamesbroughthimuprightwithastart.“Royce!”hecried,strugglingtohisfeetandheadingforthecar.Pullingopenthedoor,heseizedRoyce’sarmsthroughthesmoke.“I’mnotleavingyouhere,”hesaid.“Getyour
