John Thomas pushed his fist hard against his mouth. Then he said almost inaudibly, "What can I do?"
"Much, if you let me help you. First, let me make this clear. If you entrust your pet to us, he will never be harmed in any way. You hear talk about vivisection and such... well, forget it. Our object is to put specimens into environments as much like their home planets as possible, then study them. We want them to be healthy and happy, and we go to a lot of trouble to accomplish those ends. Eventually Lummox will die a natural death... then we'll mount the hide and skeleton, as a permanent exhibit."
"How would you like to be stuffed and exhibited?" Johnnie asked bitterly.
"Eh?" Perkins looked surprised, then laughed. "It wouldn't bother me at all; I'm leaving my carcass to the medical school of my alma mater. And it won't bother Lummox. The point is to get him out of the clutches of the police... so that he can live to a ripe old age."
"Wait a minute. If you buy him, that doesn't get him~ off. They'll still kill him. Won't they?"
"Yes and no. Mostly no. Selling him to the Museum doesn't cancel the order to destroy him, but, believe me, it will never be carried out. I've been coached by our legal department as to what to do. First, we agree on terms and you give me a bill of sale; that gives the Museum legal standing. At once, tonight, I get hold of your local judge and get a temporary order postponing ~he execution for a few days; it is definitely within his discretion to postpone it while this new factor of a change in ownership is considered. That's all we need. We can get straight to the Secretary for Spatial Affairs if we need to... and I promise you that, once the Museum holds title, Lummox will never be destroyed."
"You're sure?"
"Sure enough to risk the Museum's money. If I'm wrong, I might be out of a job." Perkins grinned. "But I'm not wrong. Once I have the temporary order and have phoned the Museum to get busy on a permanent order my next step is to settle all the damage. I'll carry cash, enough to do it... cash has a convincing effect. That done, we'll have only the Chief of Safety against us... and, while he may seem an obstacle to you, he will never be able to stand up against the weight that the Museum can bring to bear, when needed. And everybody lives happily ever after!" Perkins smiled. "Anything wrong with it?"
John Thomas traced out a pattern on the rug with his toe, then looked up. "Look, Mr. Perkins, I know I have to do something to save Lummox. But up to now I haven't seen any way... and I guess I haven't had the courage to look the facts in the face."
"Then you'll do it?"
"Just a minute, please! This isn't any good either. Lummie would be miserable with loneliness. He'd never get used to it. It would just be swapping death for life imprisonment. I'm not sure but what he'd rather be dead... than to be all alone, with a lot of strangers and them poking him and bothering him and making tests of him. But I can't even ask him what he wants because I'm not sure Lummie understands about death. But he does understand about strangers."
Mr. Perkins chewed his lip and reflected that it was very hard to do this young man a favor. "Mr. Stuart? If you were to go with Lummox, would it make a difference?"
"Huh? How?"
"I think I can promise you a job as an animal handler... In fact I have a vacancy in my own department; I could hire you tonight and we could sort the red tape later. After all, there is a real advantage in having an exotic animal cared for by someone who knows his ways."
Before Johnnie could answer his mother said, "No!"
"Eh? What, Mrs. Stuart?"
"Out of the question. Mr. Perkins, I had hoped that you would provide a rational way out of this silly unpleasantness. But I cannot agree to that last suggestion. My son is to go to college. I will not have him waste his life sweeping out that beast's cage... like a roustabout! No indeed!"
"Now look here, Mother..."
"John Thomas! If you please! The subject is closed."
Mr. Perkins looked from the boy's smoldering face to his mother's set expression. "After all," he said, "that is no business of the Museum. Let me put it this way, Mrs. Stuart. I'll keep that job open for, oh, say six months... no, please, Mrs. Stuart! Whether or not your son takes it is your problem... and I am sure you don't need my advice. I just want to assure your son that the Museum won't keep him away from his pet. Is that fair?"
Her needles were clicking like machinery. "I suppose so," she admitted.
"Mr. Stuart?"
"Wait a minute. Mother, you don't think I'd..."
"Please, Mr. Stuart! The Museum of Natural History has no place in a family discussion. You know our offer. Will you accept?"
Mrs. Stuart interrupted. "I don't believe you mentioned the price, Mr. Perkins."
"Why, so I didn't! Shall we say twenty thousand?"
Net?"
"Net? Oh, no... subject to the claims we'll have to settle, of course."
"'Net,' Mr. Perkins," she said firmly.
He shrugged. "Net."
"We accept."
"Good."
"Hey, wait a minute!" protested John Thomas. "We don't either. Not if this other thing isn't settled. I'm not going to turn Lummox over to..."
"Quiet! Dear, I've been patient but we'll have no more of this nonsense. Mr. Perkins, he accepts. Do you have the papers with you?"
"We don't either accept!"
"Just a moment," Mr. Perkins appealed. "Ma'am, am I correct in thinking that I must have your son's signature for a valid bill of sale?"
"You'll get it."
"Hmm. Mr. Stuart?"
"I'm not going to sign unless it's settled that Lummox and I stay together."
"Mrs. Stuart?"
"This is ridiculous."
"I think so, too. But there is nothing I can do." Perkins stood up. "Good night, Mr. Stuart. Thanks for letting me speak my piece-and for letting me see Lummox. No, don't get up; I can find the door."
He started to leave, while the Stuarts were busy not looking at each other. He paused at the door. "Mr. Stuart?"
"Huh? Yes, Mr. Perkins?"
"Would you do me a favor? Get as many pictures of Lummox as possible? Color-stereo-motion-sound if you can: I would have a professional crew flown here but there may not be time. You know. It would be a shame indeed if there were not some scientific record left of him. So do what you can." He turned away again.
John Thomas gulped and was up out of his chair. "Mr. Perkins! Hey! Come back."
A few minutes later he found himself, signing a bill of sale. His signature was shaky but legible. "Now Mrs. Stuart," Mr. Perkins said smoothly, "if you will sign underneath, where it says 'Guardian'... thanks! Oh yes! I must scratch out that part about 'subject to settlement of claim.' I don't have the cash with me; I got here after the banks had closed, so I'll pass over a nominal sum to bind it and we'll settle the rest before we move the specimen."
"No," said John Thomas.
"Eh?"
"I forgot to tell you. The Museum can settle the claims, since I can't and after all Lummox did it. But I'm not going to take any money. I'd feel like Judas."
His mother said sharply, "John Thomas! I won't let you..."
"Better not say it, Mum," he said dangerously. "You know what Dad would have thought."
"Hrrumph!" Mr. Perkins cleared his throat loudly. "I'm going to fill in the usual legal fiction of a nominal sum. I won't stay longer; Judge O'Farrell told me that he goes to bed at ten. Mrs. Stuart, I consider the Museum bound by my offer. Mr. Stuart, I'll leave you to settle with your mother in your own way. Good night all!" He shoved the bill of sale in his pocket and left quickly.
An hour later they were still facing each other wearily and angrily across the living room. John Thomas had let himself be bullied into conceding that his mother could take the money, as long as he was not required to touch it. He had given this in exchange, he thought, for permission to accept the job with Lummox.
But she shook her head. "Quite out of the question. After all, you are about to go to college. You couldn't take that beast along. So you had no reason to expect to keep him with you anyhow."