"Space Cadet" - читать интересную книгу автора (Heinlein Robert A)

"He was a flying admiral."

"You're a savvy cuss," Tex said admiringly. "I think I'll stick close to you during the tests."

Matt brushed it off. "Just a fact I happened to pick up."

In room 3108 a decorative young lady waved aside their credentials but demanded their thumb prints. She fed these into a machine at her elbow. The machine quickly spit out instruction sheets headed by the name, serial number, thumb print, and photograph of each candidate, together with temporary messing and rooming assignments.

The girl handed out the sheets and told them to wait next door. She abruptly turned away.

"I wish she hadn't been so brisk," complained Tex, as they went out. "I wanted to get her telephone code. Say," he went on, studying his sheet, "there's no time left on here for a siesta."

"Did you expect it?" asked Matt.

"Nope-but I can hope, can't I?"

The room next door was filled with benches but the benches were filled with boys. Jarman stopped at a bench which was crowded by three large cases, an ornate portable

refresher kit, and a banjo case. A pink-faced youth sat next to this. "Your stuff?" Tex asked him.

The young man grudgingly admitted it. "You won't mind if we move it and sit down," Tex went on. He started putting the items on the floor. The owner looked sulky but said nothing.

There was room for three. Tex insisted that the others sit down, then sat down on his bag and leaned against Mart's knees, with his legs stretched out. His footwear, thus displayed, were seen to be fine western boots, high-heeled and fancy.

A candidate across from them stared at the boots, then spoke to the boy next to him. "Pipe the cowboy!"

Tex snorted and started to get up. Matt put a hand on his shoulder, shoving him back. "It's not worth it, Tex. We've got a busy day ahead."

Oscar nodded agreement. "Take it easy, fellow."

Tex subsided. "Well-all right. JusJ: the same," he added, "my Uncle Bodie would stuff a man's feet in his mouth for less than that." He glared at the boy across from him.

Pierre Armand leaned over and spoke to Tex. "Excuse me-but are those really shoes for riding on horses?"

^Huh? What do you think they are? Skis?"

"Oh, I'm sorry! But you see, I've never seen a horse."

"What?"

"I have," announced Oscar, "in the zoo, that is."

"In a zoo?" repeated Tex.

"In the zoo at New Auckland."

"Oh-" said Tex. "I get it. You're a Venus colonial." Matt then recalled where he had heard Oscar's vaguely familiar lisp before-in the speech of a visiting lecturer. Tex turned to Pierre. "Pete, are you from Venus, too?"

"No, I'm-" Pete's voice was drowned out.