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

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Moon hand but not a native, having come to Luna before they were born to
gather color for a novel. The novel was still unfinished.
Pollux nodded. Castor said, ‘Jeff, can you keep a secret?’
‘Certainly - but permit me to point out that these radios are not directional.
See your attorney before admitting any criminal act or intention.’
Castor looked around; aside from two tractor trucks in the distance no one
seemed to be in line-of-sight. ‘We’re going into business.’
‘When were you out of it?’
‘This is a new line - interplanetary trade. We’re going to buy our own ship and
run it ourselves.’
The driver whistled. ‘Remind me to sell Four-Planet Export short. When does
this blitz take place?’
‘We’re shopping for a ship now. Know of a good buy?’
‘I’ll alert my spies.’ He shut up, being busy thereafter with the heavier traffic
near the spaceport. Presently he said, ‘Here’s your stop.’ As the boys
climbed down from the rack of the truck he added, ‘If you need a crewman,
keep me in mind.’
‘Okay, Jeff. And thanks for the lift.’
Despite the lift they were late. A squad of marine M.P.s heading into the city
on duty pre-empted the first tube car; by the time the next arrived the ship
from Earth had grounded and its passengers took priority Thereafter they got
tangled with the changing shift from the synthetics plant. It was well past
suppertime when they arrived at their family’s apartment a half mile down
inside Luna city
Mr Stone looked up as they came in ‘Well! the star boarders,’ he announced.
He was sitting with a small recorder in his lap, a throat mike clipped to his
neck.

‘Dad’ it was unavoidable,’ Castor began. ‘We -‘
‘It always is,’ his father cut in. ‘Never mind the details. Your dinner is in the
cozy. I wanted to send it back but your mother went soft and didn’t let me.’
Dr Stone looked up from the far end of the living room, where she was
modelling a head of their older sister, Meade. ‘Correction’, she said. ‘Your
father went soft; I would have let you starve. Meade, quit turning your head.’
‘Check,’ announced their four-year old brother and got up from the floor
where he had been playing chess with their grand mother. He ran towards
them. ‘Hey, Cas, Pol - where you been? Did you go to the port? Why didn’t
you take me? Did you bring me anything?’

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Castor swung him up by his heels and held him upside down. ‘Yes. No.
Maybe. And why should we? Here, Pol - catch.’ He sailed the child through
the air; his twin reached out and caught him, still by the heels.
‘Check yourself,’ announced Grandmother, ‘and mate in three moves.
Shouldn’t let your social life distract you from your gaane, Lowell.’
The youngster looked back at the board from his upside down position.
‘Wrong, Hazel. Now I let you take my queen, then - Blammie!’
His grandmother looked again at the board. ‘Huh? Wait a minute - suppose I
refuse your queen, then - Why, the little scamp! He’s trapped me again.