"Robert A. Heinlein - Space Family Stone" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

Galahad ever since I thought him up. I’m not going to let anyone else have
the fun of killing him; he’s mine!’
His mother bowed. ‘Your honour, sir.’
Mr Stone’s face brightened; he reached for his pouch and slung it over his
shoulder. ‘And now let’s look at some space-ships!’
‘Geronimo!’
As the four left the apartment and stepped on the slid eway that would take
them to the pressure lfft to the surface Pollux said to his grandmother, ‘Hazel,
what does “Geronimo” mean?’
‘Ancient Druid phrase meaning “Let’s get out of here even if we have to
walk.” So pick up your feet.’


III

THE SECOND-HAND MARKET
They stopped at the Locker Rooms at East Lock and suited up. As usual,
Hazel unbelted her gun and strapped it to her vacuum suit. None of the
others was armed; aside from civic guards and military police no one went
armed in Luna City at this late date except a few of the very old-timers like
Hazel herself. Castor said’ ‘Hazel, why do you bother with that?’
‘To assert my right. Besides, I might meet a rattlesnake.’
‘Rattlesnakes? On the Moon? Now, Hazel!’
‘”Now, Hazel”’ yourself. More rattlesnakes walking around on their hind legs
than ever wriggled in the dust. Anyhow, do you remember the reason the
White Knight gave Alice for keeping a mouse trap on his horse?’



18
 ‘Uh, not exactly.’
‘Look it up when we get home. You kids are ignorant Give me a hand with
this helmet.’
The conversation stopped, as Buster was calling his grandmother and
insisting that they start their game. Castor could read her lips through her
helmet; when he had his own helmet in place and his suit radio switched on
he could hear them arguing about which had the white men last game. Hazel
was preoccupied thereafter as Buster, with the chess board in front of him,
was intentionally hurrying the moves, whereas Hazel was kept busy
visualising the board.
They had to wait at the lock for a load of tourists, just arrived in the morning
shuttle from Earth, to spill out. One of two women passengers stopped and
stared at them. ‘Thelma’, she said to her companion, ‘that little man - he’s
wearing a gun.’
The other woman urged her along. ‘Don’t take notice’, she said. ‘It’s not
polite.’ She went on, changing the subject ‘I wonder where we can buy
souvenir turtles around here? I promised Herbert.’
Hazel turned and glared at them; Mr Stone took her arm and urged her into
the now empty lock. She continued to fume as the lock cycled. ‘Groundhogs!
Souvenir turtles indeed!’