Jim.
‘Darling.’
‘Yes,’ Jock said.
‘I have the most wonderful news for you.’
‘Really?’
‘Remember the photograph you gave me? Well, I entered it in the Miss Canada contest. Jane,
you’re one of the finalists!’
‘Christ Almighty!’
‘Aren’t you pleased?’
‘What will my poor old mother say?’
‘There’s nothing immodest about it. Why, I’ll bet you she’ll be pleased. This may be your first step to stardom.’
12
It was just one of those days for Atuk. Dreadful. Simply dreadful. The Old One didn’t come down for breakfast again.
‘You know what he’s doing upstairs in his room?’ Ignak asked. ‘Praying for his dead son. You.’
Moose tip-toed into the dining-room, followed by Mush-Mush.
‘Which one of you stole my ascot last night?’
Actually, Atuk was pleased that at least one of the boys had enough taste to dress up for a girl.
‘But we had to have something to gag her with for she screamed so loud.’
‘Loud
ly
. Why’d she scream?’
‘Well, you see, we had to tie her to the bed.’
‘Oh, no.’
‘But you didn’t tell her there would be eight of us, brother.’
‘You go upstairs and cut that girl free this minute.’
The brothers started resentfully out of the room.
‘And you want them to run the whole country again,’ Atuk said to Ignak. ‘They’re savages.’
Ignak held up the morning paper triumphantly and watched for Atuk’s reaction to the headlines. ‘Speaking of savages,’ he said, ‘you may have some fast talking to do yourself soon.’
‘I’m not worried.’
But Atuk gulped down his coffee and drove straight to Twentyman’s office.
Bette Dolan had been to see Twentyman. She had spilled the beans. But Twentyman, to Atuk’s surprise, spoke quietly. He did not seem angry, but hurt.
‘Why,’ Twentyman asked, ‘didn’t you tell me about this – about your part in it – before?’
‘I thought it best not to.’
‘I suppose you’re ready to flee the country.’
Atuk had to admit it was true.
‘Fool!’
‘Now look here—’
Twentyman began to laugh. ‘Oh, you little fool. Just when you’ve got it made.’
Twentyman then outlined his amazing plans to Atuk.
‘But it sounds very risky to me,’ Atuk said.
‘Not at all,’ Twentyman said. ‘As long as the story proper doesn’t break too soon. That much is vital, Atuk. I must have until next Tuesday to get all the spontaneous sectors of our response properly organized.’
‘I will see that it is so, then.’
‘Jumpy?’
‘A little.’
‘What about your family?’
‘They can be counted on to keep quiet.’
‘But why take unnecessary chances? I wish you’dsend them home, Atuk. I could charter a plane for them.’
‘My family stays with me.’
‘You’re too sentimental. Like me. But I admire that in a man.’
‘It’s just that I cherish my family. Like I stand with Schweitzer. I understand my little brothers and I wish to protect them.’
‘What about Sgt Jock Wilson? He’s in town, you know.’
‘I’ll handle him,’ Atuk said. ‘Don’t worry.’ Atuk paused at the door. ‘Oh, what’s all this STICK OUT YOUR NECK stuff? I see signs, billboards, everywhere.’
‘I’m glad you asked me that, Atuk. You see you’re going to be the first contestant.’
Twentyman explained what was expected of Atuk.
‘You’re a clever one,’ Atuk said.
‘We both are.’
Atuk drove to his office to confer with Rory and Miss Stainsby.
‘Anything important?’ he asked.
‘The usual fan mail,’ Miss Stainsby said. ‘I’ve booked you to recite at a Haddassah fur show in Montreal. Twenty-fifth of next month. Bette Dolan called again.’
‘The bitch. I never want to speak to her again. Oh, before I forget. Make an appointment for me with Rabbi Glenn Seigal.’
‘Atuk,’ Rory began doubtfully. ‘Atuk, I’ve never interfered before, have I?’
Atuk waited. He knew he and Rory would have to have it out about Goldie one of these days. Why not
‘Darling.’
‘Yes,’ Jock said.
‘I have the most wonderful news for you.’
‘Really?’
‘Remember the photograph you gave me? Well, I entered it in the Miss Canada contest. Jane,
you’re one of the finalists!’
‘Christ Almighty!’
‘Aren’t you pleased?’
‘What will my poor old mother say?’
‘There’s nothing immodest about it. Why, I’ll bet you she’ll be pleased. This may be your first step to stardom.’
12
It was just one of those days for Atuk. Dreadful. Simply dreadful. The Old One didn’t come down for breakfast again.
‘You know what he’s doing upstairs in his room?’ Ignak asked. ‘Praying for his dead son. You.’
Moose tip-toed into the dining-room, followed by Mush-Mush.
‘Which one of you stole my ascot last night?’
Actually, Atuk was pleased that at least one of the boys had enough taste to dress up for a girl.
‘But we had to have something to gag her with for she screamed so loud.’
‘Loud
ly
. Why’d she scream?’
‘Well, you see, we had to tie her to the bed.’
‘Oh, no.’
‘But you didn’t tell her there would be eight of us, brother.’
‘You go upstairs and cut that girl free this minute.’
The brothers started resentfully out of the room.
‘And you want them to run the whole country again,’ Atuk said to Ignak. ‘They’re savages.’
Ignak held up the morning paper triumphantly and watched for Atuk’s reaction to the headlines. ‘Speaking of savages,’ he said, ‘you may have some fast talking to do yourself soon.’
‘I’m not worried.’
But Atuk gulped down his coffee and drove straight to Twentyman’s office.
Bette Dolan had been to see Twentyman. She had spilled the beans. But Twentyman, to Atuk’s surprise, spoke quietly. He did not seem angry, but hurt.
‘Why,’ Twentyman asked, ‘didn’t you tell me about this – about your part in it – before?’
‘I thought it best not to.’
‘I suppose you’re ready to flee the country.’
Atuk had to admit it was true.
‘Fool!’
‘Now look here—’
Twentyman began to laugh. ‘Oh, you little fool. Just when you’ve got it made.’
Twentyman then outlined his amazing plans to Atuk.
‘But it sounds very risky to me,’ Atuk said.
‘Not at all,’ Twentyman said. ‘As long as the story proper doesn’t break too soon. That much is vital, Atuk. I must have until next Tuesday to get all the spontaneous sectors of our response properly organized.’
‘I will see that it is so, then.’
‘Jumpy?’
‘A little.’
‘What about your family?’
‘They can be counted on to keep quiet.’
‘But why take unnecessary chances? I wish you’dsend them home, Atuk. I could charter a plane for them.’
‘My family stays with me.’
‘You’re too sentimental. Like me. But I admire that in a man.’
‘It’s just that I cherish my family. Like I stand with Schweitzer. I understand my little brothers and I wish to protect them.’
‘What about Sgt Jock Wilson? He’s in town, you know.’
‘I’ll handle him,’ Atuk said. ‘Don’t worry.’ Atuk paused at the door. ‘Oh, what’s all this STICK OUT YOUR NECK stuff? I see signs, billboards, everywhere.’
‘I’m glad you asked me that, Atuk. You see you’re going to be the first contestant.’
Twentyman explained what was expected of Atuk.
‘You’re a clever one,’ Atuk said.
‘We both are.’
Atuk drove to his office to confer with Rory and Miss Stainsby.
‘Anything important?’ he asked.
‘The usual fan mail,’ Miss Stainsby said. ‘I’ve booked you to recite at a Haddassah fur show in Montreal. Twenty-fifth of next month. Bette Dolan called again.’
‘The bitch. I never want to speak to her again. Oh, before I forget. Make an appointment for me with Rabbi Glenn Seigal.’
‘Atuk,’ Rory began doubtfully. ‘Atuk, I’ve never interfered before, have I?’
Atuk waited. He knew he and Rory would have to have it out about Goldie one of these days. Why not
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