He doubled up his fist and started toward Stiffy.
And once again Oliver Meek did something he never would have thought
of doing back on Earth. He put out his gloved hand, deliberately, and
pushed Smith in the face. Pushed hard, so hard that Smith thumped down
in the dust of the street and sat there, silenced by surprise.
Without even looking back, Meek strode purposefully down the street
toward the Prowler. What he meant to do he did not know. What he
possibly could do he had no idea. But anything was better than standing
there while the crowd screamed at him and men shook their fists at him.
Why, they might even lynch him! He shivered at the thought. But men
still did things like that. Especially when someone monkeyed around
with the very things they depended on for life out here in naked space.
Maybe they'd turn him out on Juno with only an hour or two of oxygen.
Maybe they'd....