Девять рассказов
Down at the Dinghy
Lionelresumedsteeringhisboat."Ifyou’reanadmiral,"hesaid,"where’syourfleet?"
"Myfleet.I’mgladyouaskedmethat,"BooBoosaid,andstartedtolowerherselfintothedinghy.
"Getoff!"Lionelordered,butwithoutgivingovertoshrillness,andkeepinghiseyesdown."Nobodycancomein."
"Theycan’t?"BooBoo’sfootwasalreadytouchingthebowoftheboat.Sheobedientlydrewitbackuptopierlevel."Nobodyatall?"ShegotbackintoherIndiansquat."Whynot?"
Lionel’sanswerwascomplete,but,again,notloudenough."What?"saidBooBoo."Becausethey’renotallowed."
BooBoo,keepinghereyessteadilyontheboy,saidnothingforafullminute.
"I’msorrytohearit,"shesaid,finally."I’djustlovetocomedowninyourboat.I’msolonesomeforyou.Imissyousomuch.I’vebeenallaloneinthehousealldaywithoutanybodytotalkto."
Lioneldidn’tswingthetiller.Heexaminedthegrainofwoodinitshandle."YoucantalktoSandra,"hesaid.
"Sandra’sbusy,"BooBoosaid."Anyway,Idon’twanttotalktoSandra,Iwanttotalktoyou.Iwannacomedowninyourboatandtalktoyou."
"Youcantalkfromthere."
"What?"
"Youcantalkfromthere."
No,Ican’t.It’stoobigadistance.Ihavetogetupclose."Lionelswungthetiller."Nobodycancomein,"hesaid."What?""Nobodycancomein."
"Well,willyoutelltoefromtherewhyyou’rerunningaway?"BooBooasked."Afteryoupromisedmeyouwereallthrough?"
Apairofunderwatergoggleslayonthedeckofthedinghy,nearthesternseat.
