Retief at Large Read Online Free PDF Page A

opened his mouth.
     
                "I
know you feel bad about finding guns instead of school books in your
luggage," Retief said, looking Gulver in the eye. "You'll be busy
straightening out the details of the mix-up. You'll want to avoid further
complications."
     
                "Ah.
Ulp. Yes," Gulver said. He appeared unhappy.
     
                Arapoulous
went on to the passenger conveyor, turned to wave.
     
                "Your
man—he's going too?" Gulver blurted.
     
                "He's
not our man, properly speaking," Retief said. "He lives on
Lovenbroy."
     
                "Lovenbroy?"
Gulver choked. "But ... the ... I ..."
     
                "I
know you said the students were bound for d'Land," Retief said. "But
I guess that was just another aspect of the general confusion. The course
plugged into the navigators was to Lovenbroy. You'll be glad to know they're
still headed there—even without the baggage."
     
                "Perhaps,"
Gulver said grimly, "perhaps they'll manage without it."
     
                "By
the way," Retief said. "There was another funny mix-up. There were
some tractors—for industrial use, you'll recall. I believe you cooperated with
Croanie in arranging the grant through MEDDLE. They were erroneously consigned
to Lovenbroy, a purely agricultural world. I saved you some embarrassment, I
trust, Mr. Gulver, by arranging to have them offloaded at d'Land."
     
                "D'Land!
You've put the CSU's in the hands of Boge's bitterest enemies!"
     
                "But
they're only tractors, Mr. Gulver. Peaceful devices. Isn't that correct?"
     
                "That's
... correct." Gulver sagged. Then he snapped erect. "Hold the
ships!" he yelled. "I'm canceling the student exchange—"
     
                His
voice was drowned by the rumble as the first of the monster transports rose
from the launch pit, followed a moment later by the second. Retief watched them
out of sight, then turned to Gulver.
     
                "They're
off," he said. "Let's hope they get a liberal education."
     
     
V
     
                Retief
lay on his back in deep grass by a stream, eating grapes. A tall figure
appeared on the knoll above him and waved.
     
                "Retief!"
Hank Arapoulous bounded down the slope and embraced Retief, slapping him on the
back. "I heard you were here—and I've got news for you. You won the final
day's picking competition. Over two hundred bushels! That's a record!"
     
                "Let's
get on over to the garden. Sounds like the celebration's about to start."
     
                In
the flower-crowded park among the stripped vines, Retief and Arapoulous made
their way to a laden table under the lanterns. A tall girl dressed in loose
white, and with long golden hair, came up to Arapoulous.
     
                "Delinda,
this is Retief—today's winner. And he's also the fellow that got those workers
for us."
     
                Delinda
smiled at Retief. "I've heard about you, Mr. Retief. We weren't sure about
the boys at first. Two thousand Bogans, and all confused about their baggage
that went astray. But they seemed to like the picking." She smiled again.
     
                "That's
not all. Our gals liked the boys," Hank said. "Even Bogans aren't so
bad, minus their irons. A lot of 'em will be staying on. But how come you
didn't tell me you were coming, Retief? I'd have laid on some kind of big
welcome."
     
                "I
liked the welcome I got. And I didn't have much notice. Mr. Magnan was a little
upset when he got back. It seems I exceeded my authority."
     
                Arapoulous
laughed. "I had a feeling you were wheeling pretty free, Retief. I hope
you didn't get into any trouble over it."
     
                "No
trouble," Retief said. "A few