IIKANZA THE MARTIAN CROAKER, was bending over me when I woke up. His little brown face was crinkled with laughter. He'd lost most of his teeth, and he gummed thak-weed. It smelt.
"You pretty, Mis' Jig," he giggled. "You funny like hell."
He slapped some cold greasy stuff on my face. It hurt. I cursed him and said, "Where's Shannon? How is he?"
"Mis' Bucky okay. You save life. You big hero, Mis' Jig. Mis' Gow come nick-uhtime, get snakes. You hero. Haw! You funny like hell!"
I said, "Yeah," and pushed him away and got up. I almost fell down a couple of times, but presently I made it to the mirror over the washstand - I was in my own cell - and I saw what Kanza meant. The damned snakes had done a good job. I looked like I was upholstered in Scotch plaid. I felt sick.
Bucky Shannon ope
