"A horse?"
Larry Dermott looked again, just to make sure. "Yeah--not much of a
horse, but a horse."
Dameri Tass sighed ecstatically. "And jist what is a horse, if I may be
so bold as to be askin'?"
"It's an animal you ride on."
The alien tore his gaze from the animal to look his disbelief at the
other. "Are you after meanin' that you climb upon the crature's back and
ride him? Faith now, quit your blarney."
He looked at the horse again, then down at his equipment. "Begorra," he
muttered, "I'll share the kerit helmet with the crature."
"Hey, hold it," Dermott said anxiously. He was beginning to feel like a
character in a shaggy dog story.
Interest in the horse was ended with the sudden arrival of a helicopter.
It swooped down on the field and settled within twenty feet of the alien
craft. Almost before it had touched, the door was flung open and the
flying windmill disgorged two bestarred and efficient-looking Army
officers.
Casey and Dermott snapped them a salute.
The senior general didn't take his eyes from the alien and the
spacecraft as he spoke, and they bugged quite as effectively as had
those of the patrolmen when they'd first arrived on the scene.
"I'm Major General Browning," he rapped. "I want a police cordon thrown
up around this, er, vessel. No newsmen, no sightseers, nobody without my
permission. As soon as Army personnel arrives, we'll take over
completely."
"Yes, sir," Larry Dermott said. "I just got a report on the radio that
the governor is on his way, sir. How about him?"
The general muttered something under his breath. Then, "When the
governor arrives, let me know; otherwise, nobody gets through!"