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When David appeared, a considerable cheer went up and way was made for him, though a small group well to one side looked glum and hostile.
Inside, the cheers must have been heard, for Makian, He
David said, "Sir, I have come to explain today's incident."
He
"No, sir, but the man Griswold was beaten in fair fight."
A voice called out from the crowd, "Griswold tried to kill the boy. He forgot to have the weight-rods included in the boy's car by accident," There were several scattered squawks of laughter at the final sarcastic word.
He
There was silence, and then from the very front of the crowd a small, subdued voice said, "Please, teacher, it wasn't I." Bigman was standing there, hands clasped before him, eyes looking modestly down.
The laughter came again, and this time it was a roar.
He
David said, "No, sir. I claim only a fair fight, witnessed by seven farmboys. A man who enters a fair fight must be willing to come out as best he can. Do you intend to set up new rules?"
A yell of approval went up from the audience. He
He slammed back into Main House and, after a moment's hesitation, the rest followed him.
David was called to Benson's office early the next day. It had been a long night of celebration, which David could neither avoid nor break away from, and he yawned prodigiously as he stooped to avoid hitting the lintel.
Benson said, "Come in, Williams." He was dressed in a white smock and the air in the office had a characteristic animal odor that came from the cages of rats and hamsters. He smiled. "You look sleepy. Sit down."
"Thanks," said David. "I am sleepy. What can I do for you?"
"It's what I can do for you, Williams. You're in trouble and you could be in worse trouble. I'm afraid you don't know what conditions on Mars are like. Mr. Makian has the full legal authority to order you blasted if he believes the death of Griswold can be considered murder."
"Without a trial?"
"No, but He
"He'd have trouble with the rest of the farmboys if he tried to do that, wouldn't he?"
"I know. I told He
"I'll have to risk it, won't I?"
"We can run the risk to a minimum. I've asked Makian if I may use you here. You could be quite useful, you know, even without scientific training. You can help feed the animals and clean the cages. I could teach you how to anesthetize them and make injections. It won't be much, but it will keep you out of He
With the utmost gravity David said, "It would be rather a social comedown for a man who's been told he's an honest-to-goodness farmboy now."
The scientist frowned. "Oh, come now, Williams. Don't take seriously what those fools tell you. Farm-boy! Huh! It's a fancy name for a semi-skilled agricultural laborer and nothing more. You'd be silly to listen to their upside-down notions of social status. Look, if you work with me you might be helping to work out the mystery of the poisonings; help avenge your sister. That's why you came to Mars, wasn't it?"
I'll work for you," said David.
"Good." Benson's round face stretched in a smile of relief.
Bigman looked through the door cautiously. He half whispered, "Hey!"
David turned around and closed the cage door. "Hello, Bigman."
"Is Benson around?"
"No. He's gone for the day."
"Okay." Bigman entered, walking carefully, as though to prevent even an accidental contact between his clothing and any object in the laboratories.
. "Don't tell me you have something against Benson."
"Who, me? No. He's just a bit-you know." He tapped his temple a few times. "What kind of a grown man would come to Mars to fool around with little animals? And then he's always telling us how to run the planting and harvesting. What does he know? You can't learn anything about Mars farming in some Earth college. At that, he tries to make himself seem better than we are. You know what I mean? We have to slap him down sometimes."
He looked gloomily at David. "And now look at you. He's got you all spiffed out in a nightgown, too, playing nursemaid to a mouse. Why do you let him?"
"It's just for a while," said David.
"Well." Bigman pondered a moment, then thrust out his hand awkwardly. "I want to say good-by."
David took it. "Leaving?"
"My month's up. I have my papers so now I'll be getting a job somewhere else. I'm glad I met up with you, Earthie. Maybe when your own time's up we can meet again. You won't want to stay under He
"Hold on." David did not release the little fellow's hand. "You'll be going to Wingrad City now, won't you?"
'Till I find a job. Yes."
"Good. I've been waiting for this for a week. I can't leave the farm, Bigman, so will you do an errand for me?"
"You bet. Just name it."
"It's a little risky. You'd have to come back here."
"All right. I'm not afraid of He
David forced Bigman into a seat. He squatted next to Mm, and his voice was a whisper. "Look, there's a library at the corner of Canal and Phobos streets in Wingrad City. I want you to get some book films for me along with a viewer. The information that will get you the proper films is in this sealed____________________ "
Bigman's hand clawed out sharply, seizing David's right sleeve, forcing it upward.
"Here, what are you doing?" demanded David.
"I want to see something," panted Bigman. He had bared David's wrist now, holding it, i
David made no move to withdraw it. He watched Ms own wrist without concern. "Well, what's the idea?"
"Wrong one," muttered Bigman.
"Really?" David took his wrist away from Bigman's clutch effortlessly and exposed the other wrist. He held them both before Mm. "What are you looking for?"
"You know what I'm looking for. I thought your face was familiar ever since you came here. Couldn't place it. I could kick myself. What kind of an Earth-man would come here and be rated as good as any native farmboy in less than a month? And I have to wait for you to send me to the library at the Council of Science before I tumble."