"C M Kornbluth - Thirteen O'Clock" - читать интересную книгу автора (Kornbluth C M)

pushed the hair out of his eyes to find that they were alone in the court.

"Come on, boy," he said. Whistling cheerily he left the building, the bandur at his heels, smoking gently.
Peter collared a cop-the same one who had first arrested him. "Now," he snarled. "Where do I find
water?"

Stuttering with fright, and with two popping eyes on the bandur, the officer said, "The harbor's two
blocks down the street if you mean-"

"Never mind what I mean!" Luxuriating in his new-found power Peter strode off pugnaciously, Hugo
following.

IV

"I beg your pardon-^are you looking for water?" asked a tall, dark man over Peter's shoulder. Hugo
growled and let loose a tongue of flame at the stranger's foot. "Shuddup, Hugo," said Peter. Then, turning
to the stranger, "As a matter of fact I was. Do you-?"

"I heard about you from them," said the stranger. "You know. The little people."

"Yes," said Peter. "What do I do now?"

"Underground Railroad," said the stranger. "Built after the best Civil War model. Neat, speedy and
efficient. Transportation at half the usual cost. I hope you weren't planning to go by magic carpet?"

"No," Peter assured him hastily. "I never use them."

"That's great," said the stranger swishing his long black cloak. "Those carpet people-stifling industry.
They spread a whispering campaign that our road was unsafe! Can you imagine it?"
"Unsafe," scoffed Peter. "I'll bet they wish their carpets were half as safe as your railroad!"

"Well," said the stranger thoughtfully, "perhaps not half as safe . . . No; I wouldn't say half as safe . . ."
He seemed likely to go on indefinitely; Peter asked, "Where do I get the Underground?"

"A little East of here," said the stranger. He looked about apprehensively. "We'd better not be seen
together," he muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "Meet you over there by the clock-tower-you can
get it there."

"Okay," said Peter. "But why the secrecy?"

"We're really underground," said the stranger, walking away.

Peter rejoined him at the corner of the clock-tower; with an elaborate display of unconcern the stranger
walked off, Peter following at some distance. Soon they were again in the forest that seemed to border
the city of Mahoora. Once they were past the city-limits sign the stranger turned, smiling.

"I guess we're safe now," he said. "They could try a raid and drag us back across the line, but they
wouldn't like to play with your bandur. Here's the station."

He pressed a section of bark on a huge tree; silently it slid open like a door. Peter saw a row of steps