Frank Belknap Long

“ A certain kind of bird might just possibly be able to survive on Mars, but it would have to get along on very little oxygen."
With an effort Peter summoned the courage to interrupt Mr. Caxton with a quite unnecessary reminder. "It was a bird, Mr. Caxton. I told you it had feathers!"
"Yes indeed, Peter. It was a bird you saw. You say you saw a huge bird standing in the doorway. Do you realize what a perfect pit you have just dug for yourself? Do you know what a Martian bird would look like? Have you ever tried to imagine how a real scientist feels when he knows that he can't be wrong? ”

“ No sooner was he on his knees than he began to shake, to clutch at his sister's arm in a sort of boyish agony, as if the panic he felt was being made worse by her refusal to awake, and share it with him.
It was not a brave way to act at all. Despite his terrible fear of being alone he should have controlled himself, he should have tried to protect and spare his sister. ”

“ Peter and Susan turned, and went racing across the hot red sand to the prefabricated metal shack which they shared with their parents when Martian archeology wasn't waging relentless warfare on the domestic instincts of Dr. Kenneth Ashley, and his gifted, scholarly wife.
"Just wait until papa gets back!" Susan whispered, stopping to loosen her oxygen mask at the door of the shack. "Papa doesn't know how mean Mr. Caxton gets when he's been drinking."
"He doesn't have to drink to be mean," Peter reminded her. "Next time we go exploring I'll play dumb." ”

“ Caxton was skillful with skillets, and knew how to build and bank fires with great precision, and economy of effort. But surely some kindlier guardian could have been found for Peter and Susan, some guardian less harsh, self-centered, and downright mean.
In the rust-red desert camps were gruff, friendly, grizzled-bearded men who would have taken delight in dangling both children on their knees. In the camps were men who would have said: "Hello, Susan! Hello, Tommy! Isn't it a grand day for hiking? ”

“ Caxton was such an impatient, ill-tempered man it was surprising that the children cared to talk to him at all. It was even more surprising that the parents of Peter and Susan Ashley should have gone exploring in the trackless Martian desert, and left Mr. Caxton in charge.
Peter was ten, and Susan was eight, and even on Earth the Mr. Caxtons of this world make very poor companions for the young. ”