Karl looked wise and nodded knowingly. "They're Earthwomen, Joe.
_Earth!_"
It was easy to act as though he had some inside information, but Karl
had to admit to himself that he actually knew very little about it. He
was a Second System colonist and had never even seen an Earthwoman.
He had heard tales, though, and even discounting a large percentage
of them, some of them must have been true. Old Grundy at the rocket
office, who should know about these things if anybody did, seemed
disturbingly lacking on definite information, though he had hinted
broadly enough. He'd whistle softly and wink an eye and repeat the
stories that Karl had already heard; but he had nothing _definite_ to
offer, no real facts at all.
Some of the other colonists whom they hadn't seen for the last few
months shouted greetings, and Karl began to feel some of the carnival
spirit. There was Jenkins, who had another trapping line fifty miles
farther up the Karazoo; Leonard, who had the biggest farm on Midplanet;
and then the fellow who specialized in catching and breaking in
yllumphs, whose name Karl couldn't remember.
"They say they're good workers," Hill said.