diff options
Diffstat (limited to '30437-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 30437-h/30437-h.htm | 433 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 30437-h/images/001.png | bin | 0 -> 88985 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 30437-h/images/002-1.jpg | bin | 0 -> 17296 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 30437-h/images/002-2.jpg | bin | 0 -> 105784 bytes |
4 files changed, 433 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/30437-h/30437-h.htm b/30437-h/30437-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c0ad922 --- /dev/null +++ b/30437-h/30437-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,433 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=UTF-8" /> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of Larson's Luck, by Gerald Vance + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p {margin-top: .75em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: .75em;} + h1,h2,.hd1,.figc {text-align: center;} + h1 {float: left; width: auto;} + h2 {float: right; width: auto;} + .hd1 {margin-top: 2em; font-variant: small-caps;} + hr {width: 45%; margin: 2em auto; visibility: hidden;} + body {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%;} + .figc {margin: 0 auto 2em; width: 600px; clear: both;} + img {border: none;} + a:link,a:visited {text-decoration: none;} + p.cap:first-letter {float: left; margin-right: .05em; padding-top: .05em; font-size: 300%; line-height: .8em; width: auto;} + .dcap {text-transform: uppercase;} + .figt {float: left; clear: left; margin: 15px; padding: 0; width: 138px;} + .trn {border: solid 1px; margin: 3em 15%; min-height: 230px;} + .trn p {margin: 15px;} + .sp1 {font-size: 150%;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> +<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30437 ***</div> + +<h1><i><span class="sp1">LARSON'S LUCK</span></i></h1> + +<h2>by GERALD<br /> +<big>VANCE</big></h2> + +<div class="figc"><p><b><big>Larson couldn't possibly have known what was<br /> +going on in the engine room, yet he acted....</big></b></p> + +<img src="images/001.png" width="600" height="501" alt="" title="" /> +<small><b>There would be hell to pay; Larson was stunting again.</b></small></div> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">"We moor</span> in ten minutes," +I said.</p> + +<p>We were flying at reduced +speed because of the heavy fog we +had run into at the outer fringe of +Earth's atmosphere. But I knew we +were within forty or fifty miles of the +Trans-Space base. I had counted the +miles on this particular trip because of +the load of radium we were carrying +from the Venusian mines. I wouldn't +draw a completely relieved breath until +we were down and the stuff was in the +hands of the commerce agents.</p> + +<p>I eased my position slightly to relieve +the pressure on my broken flipper +and grinned at the pilot, Lucky Larson, +the screwiest, most unpredictable void +trotter who had ever flown for dear +old Trans-Space.</p> + +<p>"You've been too good to be true this +trip," I said, "and it's a good thing. +The chief told me that if you so much +as <i>thought</i> about clowning around or +stunting he was going to clip your wings +for good."</p> + +<p>Lucky grinned, an impish, devil-may-care +grin that lightened up his freckled +face and bunched the tiny wrinkles at +the corners of his eyes. Then with +characteristic abruptness he scowled.</p> + +<p>"That grandmother," he said disgustedly. +"Who does he think I am, +anyway? Some crazy irresponsible +madman who hasn't got enough brains +to stay on a space beam?"</p> + +<p>"That's just what he does think," I +grinned, "and you've given him plenty +of reason to think it. You can't bring +your crate in to the base without stunting +around and showing off and risking +your damn neck. That's why he sent +me along with you this trip. Just to +see that you act like a pilot—instead of +circus acrobat."</p> + +<p>"A lot of good you'd do," Lucky +mumbled. "You got a broken arm. The +only reason he sent you is because he +didn't want to pay you while you was +in the hospital so he cooks up this trip +to get his money out of you. And say," +he turned to me belligerently, "when +did I ever crack up a ship? When did +I ever even dent one of the babies?"</p> + +<p>"You haven't," I was forced to admit, +"but that's just because of that +screwy luck of yours. But it won't last +forever and one of these days it's going +to run out just when you need it. So +just remember—no stunting this trip or +you'll be out of the strata for the rest +of your natural life."</p> + +<p>"Aw, that's the trouble with this +racket," Lucky grumbled, "a guy can't +have no fun no more. Back when I +was with the Space circus—"</p> + +<p>"Okay, okay," I cut in, "I've heard +that before. Just fly your ship, now, +and forget about the deep dark plot of +the company to take all the joy out of +your life. I'm going to take a look-see +at the atomic floats and get the passengers +bundled together."</p> + +<p>I stood up and crawled over him and +opened the door leading to the body of +the ship. I could still hear him grumbling +as I slid the light chrome-alloy +door shut. I chuckled to myself and +headed up the aisle to the baggage compartments. +Lucky Larson was a legend +as space pilots go. An unpredictable, +erratic screwball but one of the finest +rocket riders who ever flashed through +the void.</p> + +<p>Company regulations and interplanetary +commissions were the bane +of his existence. He made his own +rules and regulations and got by with +it. That is he <i>had</i> gotten by with it. +Now they were cracking down on him. +He had been grounded twice and the +chief had threatened to set him down +for life if any more infractions were +charged to him. I shook my head +gloomily. He was a great guy, the last +of a great and gallant army of space +adventurers, but he was on the way out. +The rules were necessary, vital to safe +space travel and the Lucky Larsons +would have to live up to them, or else.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">My mind</span> was a long way away +from the cabin of the space ship +and maybe that's why I got what I did. +I didn't see it coming. One minute I +was walking through the aisle, thinking +about Lucky Larson and the next +second something slammed into the +back of my head knocking me to my +knees.</p> + +<p>Through a haze of red and white +lights I heard a voice bark, "Toss him +into a chair and grab that good arm of +his."</p> + +<p>I wasn't out. Just damn sick. Something +like a cold hand seemed to have +closed over my stomach and for an +awful moment I gagged and tried to +retch. But the moment passed and I +forced open my eyes and focused them +on two tough-looking, hard-eyed gents +who stood in front of me. Another unpleasant-looking +little man knelt along +side of me, twisting my good arm behind +my back.</p> + +<p>"Okay," I gritted, "what's the gag?"</p> + +<p>The tallest of the three, evidently +their leader, smiled at me. "It's no +gag," he murmured calmly, "we happen +to need the radium you're carrying. +We're going to take it. Any objections?"</p> + +<p>"You'll never get away with this," +I snapped, "your names and descriptions +are registered with the passenger +office. You'll be tracked down in twenty-four +hours."</p> + +<p>I was bluffing, of course, and I knew +from their contemptuous smiles that +they knew it, too. They probably had +given fictitious names, and the descriptive +information which the bureau required +consisted of a few generalities, +such as height, weight and the like. +I cursed myself for a stupid, careless +fool. The three men had been the only +passengers from Venus and they had +kept to themselves the entire trip. Once +or twice I had wondered at their reticence +and quietness but I had not been +suspicious enough to make a check-up.</p> + +<p>One of the men laughed shortly. "Let +us worry about that. We've covered +every angle that could possibly come up. +With the help of your friend up front, +this ship will be flown to a certain +deserted asteroid where a few friends +of <i>ours</i> are to meet us with another +ship. How you come out afterward +will depend on how you co-operate +now. Clear enough?"</p> + +<p>It was clear enough all right. Lucky +and I wouldn't last long after we served +our purpose.</p> + +<p>The tall man turned from me and +nodded significantly to the man standing +next to him and then pointed to the +closed door to the pilot's chambers.</p> + +<p>"Take care of the pilot," he murmured, +"and tell him if he isn't obliging +we'll take the cast off his friend's +arm and—" he smiled at me, "massage +it a bit."</p> + +<p>I felt a cold sweat break out on my +forehead.</p> + +<p>The thug grinned wolfishly at me and +then winked at his leader. "I'll tell him, +boss." He dug his hand into his pocket +and drew out a stubby atomic pistol. +"If he won't listen to me maybe this'll +persuade him."</p> + +<p>Still grinning he turned and headed +up the aisle, the gun clenched in his +huge fist.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">I glanced</span> at the tall figure standing +in front of me and saw that he +was watching the retreating figure of +his henchman with a saturnine smile +on his face. I thought swiftly. If I +could yell a warning to Lucky, he could +bolt the door of the pilot's chamber and +then set the ship down at the Trans-Space +base. It was the only way to +save Lucky and the radium. I wasn't +very optimistic about my own chances. +I knew they were zero.</p> + +<p>I opened my mouth, took a deep +breath and then, before I could scream +the words that would warn Lucky, it +happened. The ship shuddered for an +instant and then zoomed upward, the +smooth hum of the rocket motors crescendoing +to a roaring song of power +and speed.</p> + +<p>The sudden jolting acceleration +hurled me to the tail of the ship and +I saw, like an image in a kaleidoscope, +the tangled thrashing figures of the +space bandits as they were tossed to +the floor, a dazedly struggling mass of +arms and legs.</p> + +<p>The ship was lying over on its back +in a few seconds, and before I could +catch a breath it suddenly whipped over +and blasted toward Earth in a screeching, +hissing power-dive.</p> + +<p>It was terrific punishment even for +this type of space crate but it was worse +for human beings. The three bandits +were clutching at their stomachs as if +they were afraid of losing them. Their +faces were mottled and blotchy and +their eyes were rolling beseechingly.</p> + +<p>I didn't mind the erratic convolutions +the ship was making but my arm was +burning as if it were on fire. Numbing +waves of pain were coursing up and +down my entire body.</p> + +<p>I tried to crawl to my knees but the +floor rolled under me as the ship +whipped over in a twisting spiral and +I crashed forward on my face. Then +everything dissolved into inky blackness....</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">When</span> I came to, I heard a great +commotion, then a sudden shot +and then a babble of voices booming +around me. I remember thinking +fleetingly of crooks, Lucky Larson and +a mountain of radium and then—because +nothing made sense—I passed out +again.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p class="cap"><span class="dcap">The next</span> time I opened my eyes I +found myself stretched out on a cot +in the chief's office. I turned my head +slightly and saw Lucky Larson, the +chief and a half dozen other guys staring +down at me.</p> + +<p>"It's not very original," I said, "but +where the hell am I?" That was silly +of me because I knew where I was, so +I said: "Never mind that but please +tell me what the hell happened?"</p> + +<p>The chief laughed and Lucky Larson +laughed and then they slapped +each other on the back. "Don't worry +about a thing," the chief said, "those +crooks are under lock and key and +there's not a thing to worry about."</p> + +<p>"But how—I mean what...?" My +voice trailed off. Nothing made sense.</p> + +<p>"Well," the chief broke in, "Lucky +here really deserves the credit for catching +them. And I'm not forgetting your +good work either. Both of you will +receive more tangible evidence of my +appreciation. But Lucky really did the +brainwork."</p> + +<p>"Awww," Lucky mumbled, "it wasn't +much. Just a little common sense and, +uh, a little luck."</p> + +<p>"It was damn fast thinking," the +chief cut in belligerently, "you knew +your stunting over the base would drive +me crazy. You knew I'd get so mad I'd +call out the base police and have you +thrown in when you moored. And when +you did moor and the crooks toppled +out we were right on hand to receive +them. They were so weak from the +shaking up you gave them that they +didn't have a chance."</p> + +<p>Lucky rolled innocent eyes to the +ceiling. "Sometimes," he remarked +piously, "stunting has its uses."</p> + +<p>"Congratulations," I said weakly. +"You certainly used your head. Caught +the chief's attention with your stunting +and almost knocked the crooks out +with it too. That's killing two birds +with one stone, all right." Then another +thought occurred to me.</p> + +<p>"How did you know I was in +trouble?" I asked curiously. "How did +you know we had those crooks on +board?"</p> + +<p>"Why—why," Lucky sputtered, +"that was simple. I just happened to +look behind me and I saw those boys +piling into you. So I did a little fast +thinking and then I whipped the ship +into a few maneuvers and, like the +chief says, they caught his eye all +right."</p> + +<p>The chief was beaming fondly and +I turned my head to hide the smile on +my lips. "So you just looked behind +you," I muttered. "Well, Lucky, you +certainly are—and were."</p> + +<p>He grinned down at me and winked. +"You said it, kid."</p> + +<p>I wanted to ask him a question then, +but I decided to wait until we were +alone. I closed my eyes and smiled +again, thinking of his expression when +I would ask him how he had been able +to look behind him and see me struggling +with those crooks, <i>when the door +of the pilot's chamber was closed all +the time</i>....</p> + +<p class="hd1">The End</p> + +<div class="trn"><div class="figt"><a href="images/002-2.jpg"><img src="images/002-1.jpg" width="138" height="200" alt="" title="" /></a></div> + +<p><big><b>Transcriber's Note:</b></big></p> + +<p>This etext was produced from <i>Amazing Stories</i> January 1943. +Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. +copyright on this publication was renewed. Minor spelling and +typographical errors have been corrected without note.</p></div> + +<div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30437 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/30437-h/images/001.png b/30437-h/images/001.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..097708a --- /dev/null +++ b/30437-h/images/001.png diff --git a/30437-h/images/002-1.jpg b/30437-h/images/002-1.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..faeba68 --- /dev/null +++ b/30437-h/images/002-1.jpg diff --git a/30437-h/images/002-2.jpg b/30437-h/images/002-2.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..440bce1 --- /dev/null +++ b/30437-h/images/002-2.jpg |
