United States or North Macedonia ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"It is a magnificent morning for sailing, Mr Murgatroyd," I replied; "a magnificent morning that would be none the worse for an occasional glint of sunshine, which, however, may come by and by; and, as for the ship, she is a wonder, a perfect flyer why, she must be reeling off her thirteen knots at the least."
If so, such a stowaway would be in the sleeping cabin now, waiting for Calhoun to walk in unsuspiciously, only to be shot dead. So Calhoun made coffee. He slipped a blaster into a pocket where it would be handy. He filled a small cup for Murgatroyd and a large one for himself, and then a second large one. He tapped on the sleeping cabin door, standing aside lest a blaster-bolt come through it.
Murgatroyd said, "Chee-chee? Chee?" Calhoun sighed. "That's right, Murgatroyd! Here we go again!" The Interstellar Medical Service was just about the only remaining galactic organization that every one of the hundreds of inhabited planets respected. So when their service broke down in Star Sector Twelve, it created a very dangerous situation.
Lett. Do you ever yawn like that ... so you make sure you've always your vaccine with you to stop it? Aren't you a para, Dr. Lett? In fact, aren't you the ... monstrous cause of ... paras?" Murgatroyd cried "Chee! Chee! Chee!" in great agitation, because Dr. Lett had snatched up a dissecting scalpel and crouched to leap upon Calhoun. But Calhoun said: "Easy, Murgatroyd!
She had not intended to eat any fruit before Murgatroyd had given her this news. But she felt that she must have a few minutes by herself. Not long ago she had been appalled by the thought of extinction: had yearned for activity, had even desired opportunities for unselfishness. Now, suddenly, she was afraid, and clung to her loneliness.
"It's all lies, you know," muttered Murgatroyd. "Nobody can find 'em out, anyway," replied Pratt. "That's the one important thing to consider. You're safe! And if you're cursed with a conscience and it's tender well, that'll make a good plaister for it!" He pointed to the little wad of bank-notes and the man sitting at his side followed the pointing finger with hungry eyes.
There were other carefully thought out items in the ship with the same purpose. But none of them should cause Murgatroyd to stare fixedly and fascinatedly at the sleeping cabin door. Not when coffee was in the making! Calhoun considered. He became angry at the immediate suspicion that occurred to him. As a Med Service man, he was duty-bound to be impartial.
Maril, four cups of coffee, please." Murgatroyd said "Chee?" The Med Ship was badly crowded with six humans and Murgatroyd in a space intended for Calhoun and Murgatroyd alone. The little tormal had spent most of his time in his cubbyhole, watching with beady eyes as so many people moved about on what had been a spacious ship before. "No coffee for you, Murgatroyd," said Calhoun.
Smoke from the flung bomb upwind barely swirled around him and missed Maril altogether. Calhoun, though, got a whiff of something strange, not scorched or burning vegetation at all. He ceased to breathe and plunged onward. In clear air he emptied his lungs and refilled them. They were then halfway to the ship, with Murgatroyd prancing on ahead. But then Calhoun's heart began to pound furiously.
He must see Murgatroyd again at once. Half-way along Peel Row, Pratt stopped, suddenly and with sudden fear. Out of a side street emerged a man, a quiet ordinary-looking man whom he knew very well indeed Detective-Sergeant Prydale. He was accompanied by a smart-looking, much younger man, whom Pratt remembered to have seen in Beck Street that afternoon a stranger to him and to Barford.
Word Of The Day