The Hunters | Page 4

of talking where you talk kind of backwards. Like, you don't say, Me, you say, Emay."
"You don't say, Yes, you say Esyay," added another little girl.
"You don't say, You, you say, Ouyay. You don't say--"
"All right, all right, I get the idea."
"You don't say--"
"That'll do," said Miss Burton firmly. "Now, let's get along to the lion house. And please, children, do not make faces at the lions. How would you like to be in a cage and have people make faces at you? Always remember to be considerate to others."
"Even lions, Miss Burton?"
"Even lions."
"But Mr. George shot lots of lions. Was he considerate of them too?"
"There is no time for silly questions," said Miss Burton, with the same firmness. "Come along."
They all trouped after her, Palit and Manto bringing up the rear. Manto giggled, and whispered with amusement, "That Pig-Latin business was quick thinking, Palit. But in fact, quite unnecessary. The things that you do to avoid being suspected!"
"It never hurts to take precautions. And I think that now it is time to leave."
"No, not yet. You are always anxious to learn details before reporting. Why not learn a few more details now?"
"Because they are not necessary. We already have a good understanding of human customs and psychology."
"But not of the psychology of children. And they, if you remember, are the ones who will have to adapt. We shall be asked about them. It would be nice if we could report that they are fit for all-purpose service, on a wide range of planets. Let us stay awhile longer."
"All right," conceded Palit, grudgingly.
* * * * *
So they stayed, and out of some twigs and leaves they shaped the necessary coins with which to buy peanuts, and popcorn, and ice cream, and other delicacies favored by the young. Manto wanted to win easy popularity by treating a few of the other children, but Palit put his girlish foot down. No use arousing suspicion. Even as it was--
"Gee, your father gives you an awful lot of spending money," said Frances enviously. "Is he rich?"
"We get as much as we want," replied Manto carelessly.
"Gosh, I wish I did."
Miss Burton collected her brood. "Come together, children, I have something to say to you. Soon it will be time to go in and hear Mr. George. Now, if Mr. George is so kind as to entertain us, don't you think that it's only proper for us to entertain him?"
"We could put on our class play!" yelled Barbara.
"Barbara's a fine one to talk," said Frances. "She doesn't even remember her lines."
"No, children, we mustn't do anything we can't do well. That wouldn't make a good impression. And besides, there is no time for a play. Perhaps Barbara will sing--"
"I can sing a 'Thank You' song," interrupted Frances.
"That would be nice."
"I can recite," added another little girl.
"Fine. How about you, Carolyn? You and your little friend, Doris. Can she act too?"
Carolyn giggled. "Oh, yes, she can act very well. I can act like people. She can act like animals." The laughing, girlish eyes evaded a dirty look from the little friend. "She can act like any kind of animal."
"She's certainly a talented child. But she seems so shy!"
"Oh, no," said Carolyn. "She likes to be coaxed."
"She shouldn't be like that. Perhaps, Carolyn, you and Doris can do something together. And perhaps, too, Mr. George will be pleased to see that your teacher also has talent."
"You, Miss Burton?"
Miss Burton coughed modestly. "Yes, children, I never told you, but I was once ambitious to be an actress too. I studied dramatics, and really, I was quite good at it. I was told that if I persevered I might actually be famous. Just think, your teacher might actually have been a famous actress! However, in my day, there were many coarse people on the stage, and the life of the theater was not attractive--but perhaps we'd better not speak of that. At any rate, I know the principles of the dramatic art very well."
* * * * *
"God knows what I'll have to go through," said Curt. "And I don't see how I can take it sober."
"I don't see how they can take you drunk," replied Carol.
"Why go through with it at all? Why not call the whole thing quits?"
"Because people are depending on you. You always want to call quits whenever you run into something you don't like. You may as well call quits to your contract if that's the way you feel."
"And to your ten per cent, darling."
"You think I'd mind that. I work for my ten per cent, Curt, sweetheart. I work too damn hard for that ten per cent."
"You can marry me and take it easy. Honest, Carol, if you treated me better, if you showed me I meant something to you, I'd give up