"Mike Resnick - Bully!" - читать интересную книгу автора (Resnick Mike)

American.тАЭ

Kermit shook his head. тАЬThe man's a scalawag.тАЭ

тАЬThat's your conclusion after being wined and dined in his tent for a single evening?тАЭ

тАЬNo, Father. But while you were taking your morning walk and watching birds, I was
talking to some of his companions about him. They thought they were bragging about
him, and telling me stories that would impress meтАФbut what I heard gave me a true
picture of the man.тАЭ
тАЬFor example?тАЭ asked Roosevelt.

тАЬHe's always in troubleтАФwith the law, with the British army, with the Colonial
Office.тАЭ Kermit paused. тАЬThey've tried to deport him from East Africa twice. Did you
know that?тАЭ

тАЬCertainly I know it,тАЭ answered Roosevelt. Suddenly he grinned and pointed to a
small book that was on the table next to his binoculars. тАЬI spent most of the night
reading his memoirs. Remarkable man!тАЭ

тАЬThen you know that the British government arrested him for...тАЭ Kermit searched for
the word.

тАЬDacoity?тАЭ

Kermit nodded. тАЬYes.тАЭ

тАЬDo you know what it means?тАЭ asked his father.

тАЬNo,тАЭ admitted Kermit.

тАЬIn this particular case, it means that he signed a treaty with the Kikuyu and got them
to open their land to white settlement, and some higher-up in the Colonial government
felt that Mr. Boyes was usurping his authority.тАЭ Roosevelt chuckled. тАЬSo they sent a
squad of six men into Kikuyuland to arrest him, and they found him surrounded by
five thousand armed warriors. And since none of the arresting officers cared very
much for the odds, Mr. Boyes volunteered to march all the way to Mombasa on his
own recognizance.тАЭ Roosevelt paused and grinned. тАЬWhen he walked into court with
his five thousand Kikuyu, the case was immediately thrown out.тАЭ He laughed. тАЬNow,
that's a story that could have come out of our own Wild West.тАЭ

тАЬThere were other stories, too, Father,тАЭ said Kermit. тАЬLess savory stories.тАЭ

тАЬGood,тАЭ said Roosevelt. тАЬThen he and I will have something to talk about on the way
to the Congo.тАЭ

тАЬYou know, of course, that he's the so-called White King of the Kikuyu.тАЭ

тАЬAnd I'm an honorary Indian chief. We have a lot in common.тАЭ