When Anthony came in, she fell into his arms. Small, however, wasn't having any emotional excitement. He said, "What was it, Daddy? Was it really a badgerine?"
"Not this time, son. Just an octerocap."
"As if the other wasn't bad enough," said Alice faintly. The octerocap was an eight-headed wolf, and was as likely to kill newcomers by the fright its appearance induced as much as by its numerous teeth. "Anthony, you must simply get me another gun like yours."
"You can take mine if you really feel unsafe."
"You know I wouldn't take it. You need yours to get home with. And there isn't so much danger as long as you're within calling range. But in case of emergency—"
He nodded. "Do you think I don't realize that? I've been cabling that idiot, Tapling, for another gun ever since we got here. Not a chance."
"But why? Does he think that the government sends engineers to Mars for the purpose of having them killed and eaten by animals?"
"Tapling's is not to reason why, it's but to do according to regulations and let others die. He says that Regulation L34XC3 of Code 3 forbids it."
"The stupid fool!"
"Call him by his right name. That Idiot Tapling, or T. I. Tapling, as we usually denote him at the office."