How did Jonathan protect his bike during the civil war? "Civil Peace" by Chinua Achebe

Jonathan knows that his old bike is not as valuable as his family. Keeping the bike was also a "miracle" to be called of its own. During the war, he almost lost it when an army officer, who is dressed in rags tried to take it. But, Jonathan sensed that the officer was not really a soldier, so he buried his bike to keep it safe in. After the war, he got it back, still in good condition.