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

You'll find out what to do from tr^em."

"Walk how?" asked Peter.

"Widdershins-counterclockwise. Lord, you're dumb!"

Then the lights seemed to go on again, and Peter saw that the room was filled with the half-breed
creatures. With an expression of injured dignity the formally-attired Balthazar Pike asked, "Are you ready
to leave now, Miss Melicent? Quite ready?"

"Thank you, General, yes," said the girl coldly. Two of the creatures took her arms and walked her from
the room. Peter saw that as they stepped over the threshold they vanished, all three. The last to leave
was Pike, who turned and said to the man: "I must remind you, Mister-er-ah-that you are trespassing.
This property now belongs to the Almarish Realty Corporation. All offenders will be prosecuted to the
fullest extent of the law. Good day, Mister-er-ah-". With which he stepped over the door and vanished.

Hastily Peter followed him across the line, but found himself alone outside the house. For which he was
grateful. "Third oak from the left door," he repeated. Simple enough. Feeling foolish he walked
widdershins three times around and stopped dead waiting for something.

What a sweet, brave kid she had been! He hoped nothing would really happen to her-before he got
there.

He felt a sort of tugging at his serge trousers and stepped back in alarm. "Well?" shrilled a small voice.
Peter looked down and winced. The dirtiest, most bedraggled little creature he had ever seen was
regarding him with tiny, sharp eyes. There were others, too, squatting on pebbles and toadstools.

"Miss Melicent told me to ask you what I should do," said Peter. As the little leader of the troop glared
at him he added hastily, "If you please,"
"Likely tale," piped the voice of the creature. "What's in it for us?"

"I dunno," he said bewildered. "What do you want?"

"Green cloth," the creature answered promptly. "Lots of

it. And if you have any small brass buttons, them too."

Peter hastily conducted on inventory of his person. Tin sorry," he said hesitantly. "I haven't any green.
How about blue? I can spare my vest." He carefully lowered the garment to the ground among the little
people.

"Looks all right," said the leader. "Jake!" One of the creatures advanced and fingered the cloth. "Hmm-"
he said. "Good material." Then there was a whispered consultation with the leader, who at last shouted
up to Peter: "Head East for water. You can't miss it!"

"Hey," said Peter, blinking. But they were already gone. And though he widdershin-walked for the next
half hour and even tried a few incantations remembered from his childhood they did not come back, nor
did his vest.

So, with his back to the sinking sun, he headed East for water.