Chapter 32

           "Emergency!Emergency!"blaredtheklaxonsthroughoutMagrathea."Hostileshiphaslandedonplanet.Armedintrudersinsection8A.Defencestations,defencestations!"

           Thetwomicesniffedirritablyroundthefragmentsoftheirglasstransportswheretheylayshatteredonthefloor.

           "Damnation,"mutteredFrankiemouse,"allthatfussovertwopoundsofEarthlingbrain."Hescuttledroundandabout,hispinkeyesflashing,hisfinewhitecoatbristlingwithstatic.

           "Theonlythingwecandonow,"saidBenji,crouchingandstrokinghiswhiskersinthought,"istotryandfakeaquestion,inventonethatwillsoundplausible."

           "Difficult,"saidFrankie.Hethought."HowaboutWhat’syellowanddangerous?"

           Benjiconsideredthisforamoment.

           "No,nogood,"hesaid."Doesn’tfittheanswer."

           Theysankintosilenceforafewseconds.

           "Alright,"saidBenji."Whatdoyougetifyoumultiplysixbyseven?"

           "No,no,tooliteral,toofactual,"saidFrankie,"wouldn’tsustainthepunters’interest."

           Againtheythought.

           ThenFrankiesaid:"Here’sathought.Howmanyroadsmustamanwalkdown?"

           "Ah,"saidBenji."Aha,nowthatdoessoundpromising!"Herolledthephrasearoundalittle."Yes,"hesaid,"that’sexcellent!Soundsverysignificantwithoutactuallytyingyoudowntomeaninganythingatall.Howmanyroadsmustamanwalkdown?Forty-two.Excellent,excellent,that’llfox’em.Frankiebaby,wearemade!"

           Theyperformedascamperingdanceintheirexcitement.

           Nearthemonthefloorlayseveralratheruglymenwhohadbeenhitabouttheheadwithsomeheavydesignawards.