Joseph Samachson

“ The men settled themselves on the dry grass, pulled their old worn apologies for blankets over them, and began to snore. Around them, as the fire was reduced to embers, the night closed in. Crusoe could hear the chirping of crickets and the quiet flow of water under the bridge. ”

“ Even the chirping of the crickets died away, and at last there was only the ripple of the water. Then, after a time, he became aware of new sounds. The crunching of twigs under foot, the creak of shoes on the ground. People were approaching.
He sat up suddenly, as if he had recognized that this was the danger he had feared. "Angel!" he called.
The ex-wrestler awoke, and the Professor with him. "Could be cops," whispered Angel hoarsely. "Some farmer loses a chicken, and they think of us. We better get goin'." ”

“ The weapon fell to the ground and Crusoe picked it up.
The rifles exploded. The next moment the door in the ship's surface had swung silently open. Crusoe leaped in.
"So long, pal," said Angel huskily. "This rat killed Professor. I'm goin' to make sure that he gets his."
Crusoe shook his head, remembering all the times the big man had befriended him before.
"Those men will punish him. You come in here."
"Huh?" said Angel foolishly.
"Your one real friend is dead. Do you want to be regarded by the others as a freak all the rest of your life? Come with me. I'm expected back with a prisoner. ”

“ I was hoping that you would remember enough to help operate the ship and escape from the planet, but not enough to recall who I was. Meanwhile, I watched with interest how even in your amnesiac state you absorbed the English language. With our people, Tlaxon, language learning is much more of a reflex process than it is with these Earthlanders. You learned without knowing that you were doing so. All the same, your racial peculiarities prevented you from speaking exactly as the natives do."
"That's why I thought that they were the ones who spoke strangely. All but Angel." ”

“ A chuckle from Angel interrupted him. "People don't like to lose chickens."
"I see."
"Nor clothes," added the Professor. "Remember that I supplied you with garments that were hanging on a clothesline. Perhaps I should have mentioned that the farmer's wife who discovered her loss tried to extract payment from me by means of a shotgun."
Crusoe nodded slowly. "By now, you assume, the memory of the loss will have grown faint?"
"I hope so. We shall, of course, do our best not to attract attention."
They moved into the swamp. It was gloomy, but not, thought Crusoe, frightening. ”

“ He doesn't deserve to be treated as we treat most of our prisoners. I'll leave him to your race and he'll probably be punished for killing the real Professor. Even if the only thing that happens to him is to remain on Earth and have no way of getting back to his own planet, that will be punishment enough. You needn't worry about his getting his."
Angel moved slowly through the doorway. The metal clanged shut behind him. The motor purred and the ship began to vibrate so smoothly that Crusoe could hardly feel it. ”

“ And ya know, pal, that a good wrestler will take a fighter any old time."
"How long ago was that?" asked Professor. "It seems like ages."
"Five, six years. But you know somethin', pal, you ain't as helpless as you used to be. That's what comes of havin' a head on you. You learn how to get along, no matter where you are."
"I regard that as a compliment, Angel," smiled the little man. "Now, shall we start?"
Toward the danger that Crusoe felt awaited them in the swamp they could travel but slowly. They had to go by foot, on dusty narrow roads. ”

“ But he knew too that if he accepted the original offer, the murderous little man would break his promise and murder him the moment the ship's controls were freed of their responsiveness to the characteristics of one man. ”

“ He was overjoyed to see me, and his enthusiasm was our passport. Moreover, in their world, it was not customary to ask questions that a man was not inclined to answer. There were too many embarrassing secrets on all sides. ”