"Laumer, Keith - Retief of the COTUC" - читать интересную книгу автора (Laumer Keith)

vitation to tea. Something impressive in a

gold-embossed, I'd suggest."
"I understand this fellow Hoobrik has ten

thousand bloodthirsty cutthroatsЧah, that is,
wisdom-hungry studentsЧat his beck and call,"
the Econ Officer contributed. "They say any-
body who goes up there comes back with his

tail cropped."
"Small hazard, since we Terries have no

tails," Magnan sniffed.
"I've got a funny feeling they'd figure out

something else to crop," Oscar retorted sharply.
"Am I to infer, Magnan, you're volunteering
to convey the bid?" Clawhammer inquired

blandly.

"Me, sir?" Magnan paled visibly. "Heavens,

I'd love toЧexcept that I'm under observa-
tion for possible fourth-degree cocoa bums."

"Fourth-degree burns?" Colonel Saddlesore
wondered aloud. "I'd like to see that. I've heard
of first, second, and third degree, butЧ"

"The symptoms are invisible to lay inspec-
tion," Magnan snapped. "Additionally, my

asthma is aggravated by high altitudes."

"By gad," Colonel Saddlesore whispered to
his neighbor, "I'd like a chance to confront

these fellows ..."

RETIEF OF THE CDT 27

"Better wear your armor, Wilbur," his con-
fidant replied. "From all reports, they weigh
in at three hundred pounds, and wear six-foot
cutlasses, with which they lay about them
freely when aroused. And they say the sight of
a Terry arouses them worse than anything."