One tire had collapsed.
Grease coated the engine.
But something about its shape seemed familiar.
She stopped.
Her father was examining a nearby cultivator.
“Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“What's that tractor?”
He glanced over.
“Old Deere. Probably a B, judging by the body.”
May looked closer.
“Why's the steering column shaped like that?”
Her father walked over.
He studied the machine.
Then he shrugged.
“Somebody modified it.”
May looked beneath the engine housing.
The metal components were different from those shown in her grandfather's production-model manuals.
She could see an unusual linkage.
There was also a reinforced bracket near the transmission.
Her father noticed her interest.
“Don't crawl underneath it. That equipment hasn't been inspected.”
“I won't.”
She circled the tractor carefully.
Then she crouched beside the left side.
A small rectangular shape was visible beneath the grease.
Her heart began beating faster.
She pointed.
“Dad, what's that?”
He leaned closer.
“Identification plate, probably.”
“Can I wipe it?”
He examined the area to make sure there were no moving or unstable components near her hand.
Then he handed her a rag.
“Just the outside surface.”
May wiped carefully.
A dull metal plate emerged.
The first line contained an ordinary-looking factory reference.
The second was nearly hidden.
She rubbed gently.
Then she saw the letters.
XH.
Her stomach tightened.
She wiped again.
47.
Then the final characters.
01.
She stared.
XH-47-01.
The exact sequence written in her grandfather's notebook.
For several seconds, she could not speak.
Her father noticed.
“May?”
She looked up.
“Dad, I think Grandpa wrote about this tractor.”
He smiled.
“Your grandpa wrote about every tractor in Iowa.”
“No. This one.”
She pointed toward the identification plate.
Her father crouched beside her.
He examined the numbers.
Then he looked toward the unusual steering linkage.
His smile faded.
“Where did you see that number?”
“In Grandpa's notebook.”
He looked at her.
“Are you sure?”
She nodded.
“Positive.”
Her father studied the tractor for another minute.
Then he stood.
“Well, that's interesting.”
May's eyes widened.
“Do you think it's special?”
“Could be.”
He looked toward the shed entrance.
“But we need to check the records before deciding anything.”
She nodded.