"Since you are such a stickler for duty, Colonel, I wish to call to
your attention a further stipulation of the Squatter's Rights Code. One
you have evidently forgotten. The Code says, Section 115B, Paragraph
iii, 'Such requirements having been fulfilled, it shall be lawful to
award the settled property to any family group comprised of at least
six adults who pledge intention to make the property their permanent
home--'"
Sam Wilkes said, "Well, what's the matter. Don't we intend to make Eros
our permanent home?"
"I have no doubt of it, Mr. Wilkes. But I regret to inform you that you
will not be able to do so, since you do not fulfill this last-mentioned
paragraph."
"There's six of us!" defended Wilkes stoutly.
"But the law," insisted Wade, "requires six _adults_! May I ask, Mr.
Wilkes, how many of your family are more than twenty-one years of age!"
* * * * *
Dick whistled softly. Pop's jaw dropped. Wilkes' face turned crimson.
And Bobby computed hastily. This was the final, devastating blow. The
Wilkes household contained only four adults; Old Man Wilkes, Sam and
his wife, and Red. Junior and Ginger were just kids.
With sudden regret, Bobby realized that they should have arranged their
conspiracy in reverse. There were six adults in the Moseley clan, Moira
having just celebrated her twenty-first birthday. But it was too late
for that now. As friendly as Colonel Travers was, he could not openly
countenance a flagrant, deliberate transference of all property to the
Moseleys.
So their last, desperate ruse had failed. And now none of them would
win ownership of Eros. All their lovely hopes and dreams had been in
vain; their new-found friendship with the Wilkes a dying gesture....
Wade could not restrain himself from elaborating on the situation.
"So, my friends," he chuckled, "your deceit wins its proper reward.
Under the circumstances, I shall not do what I had earlier planned
on doing. I was going to give each of you, with the Corporation's
compliments, a fitting reward for having so diligently opened up this
new colony. Now I see no reason for so doing.
"In the future, it might be well to remember the law provides many
loopholes to the ingenious man. That is a hard lesson, but a fair one.
Were you but six adults--"
And then there was a sudden stir at the doorway. A deep, rumbling,
familiar voice. That of Red Wilkes.
"You crow mighty loud for a bantam rooster, Mister!" he said. "But
you're crowing at a false dawn. Because it so happens that we are six
adults. As a matter of fact, we're more than six adults. There are
_ten_ of us!"
Wade spun, shocked. The others looked, too, and in all eyes there was
surprise. All, that is, but Ginger. She was hugging her knees, rocking
back and forth comfortably, looking very much pleased with herself and
with the world in general. She said, "I knew it. I knew it all the
time."
"Knew what?" said Bobby, but his question was lost in Wade's irate
demand.
"Ten of you? What are you talking about? Who is this young
whipper-snapper?"
"That," said Sam Wilkes conversationally, "is my son. And I'd be
careful if I was you, Mister. The last guy who called him names is
still pickin' up teeth. Son, I reckon you know what the hell you're
talkin' about. But the rest of us don't. So if you'd please explain--?"
* * * * *
Red Wilkes grinned. He said, "Moira, honey." And Moira entered from the
porch. There was a smile on her face and somehow there was a smile in
her eyes, too, and Bobby got the strange feeling that if you could see
inside her, there'd be a smile in her heart. She looked at Mom, and
Mom gave a little gasp, like she could tell just by looking at Moira
what Moira meant. Red Wilkes continued to grin. He said, "Colonel,
commanders of space vessels have the privilege of marrying folks,
haven't they?"
"Why--why, yes," said Travers.
"Then," said Red mildly, "how'd you like to get out the little black
book and start tying knots? Because, you see, Moira has told me she's
willing to take a chance."
Pop said, "Moira, darling, you're not just doing this because ...
because...."
"No, Pop. I'm doing it because I want to. Because I love Red and he
loves me. It's been that way since the day we met. We--we've been
meeting secretly for the past six weeks. We meant to break the news
sooner or later. And now seems to be about the best time."
"Particularly," pointed out the groom-to-be, "since our marriage turns
two families into _one_ family. And I think that will spike your guns,
Mr. Wade?"
Wade was no longer crimson. He was purple. "You can't do this,
Colonel!" he screamed. "It's illegal. Anyway, they won't be truly
related. The two families will just be in-laws--"
But there was an open, admiring grin on the lips of Lieutenant-Colonel
Travers, S.S.P. He said, "Maybe I _can't_ do it, Mr. Wade--but by the
Pleiades, I'm going to! And as for the law--according to all decisions
I've ever read, in-laws are valid relatives. You're the one who was
yelping about the law providing many loopholes for ingenious men.
Well, here's a big, juicy loophole. How do you like it?"