Free Race Against Time by Piers Anthony Page A

schooling. He had not had to take his exams in locked cells without food, but he had had to parrot a fair amount of unoriginal lecture material. "Curb it? Why?"
    The man laughed, a little nervously. "Why, indeed!" Then he changed the subject. "When Pei passed the hsiu, I rejoiced, but when he later mastered the chu jen, I began to fear. And I only hope he does not pass the last one, the chin shih."
    Suddenly John's attention flagged. Was that a scratching at the front gate? Canute must have arrived!
    "Thank you very much," he told the man. "I'd better go before my ignorance of this culture calls attention to me. If you will direct me to the gate...." Yes—it was Canute.
    "Yes, that's best. The perimeter guard will pick you up once you leave the enclave, and you can explain what happened. It was bad enough before, when that Caucasian girl landed here! None of us knew what to do. The program was almost hopelessly fouled up, so she visited the Pei for a couple of hours until—" He broke off and shook his head. "But so far today Pei hasn't said anything, so maybe it's all right, though he's dangerously clever. These blunders certainly have to stop!"
    "They certainly do!" John agreed heartily. He tried to think of a way to get more information on the purpose of the enclaves from this helpful man, but there wasn't time. "I really appreciate your help. I'll find my own way out."
    "Oh, I'll start you on your way. I can point out your first turn, so you can"—he paused as Canute's whine grew louder—"something's out there!"
    "You must be mistaken," John said quickly. Then, so as to cover any other sounds the dog might make, he had to keep talking. "I really should go by myself. Suppose they happened to be in the area and saw a stranger talking to the civil-service examiner? They could get suspicious."
    "I'm sure they're not near here," the man protested. "And it will be much more efficient for me to show you—"
    "I'm so glad you understand," John said, reaching the door at last. "Make a left turn at the next intersection and—"
    "A right turn—at the second intersection, not the first. Then straight on to the main gate. But—"
    "Thank you once more. Good-bye." John stepped quickly out, closing the door in the man's face.
    "Good-bye?" The muffled voice came. "I don't—"
    "Sorry; that's a Caucasian enclave expression." Canute was there, tail wagging. "Hide!" John whispered fiercely at him.
    The man forced open the door. "I must show you...."
    John stood in his way, blocking the running dog from view. "Oh, was I in your way? I'm sorry." He moved to get in the man's way again, as though accidentally.
    Somewhat flushed even through the yellow coloration, the examiner finally made his way out the door, but Canute was gone.
    "I must say, you have a natural aptitude for barbarism," the man observed, almost losing his Oriental presence. "Your facial contours, too, resemble the Caucasian. You are an excellent selection for that enclave."
    John was aware of the man's sarcasm, but he could hardly blame him. He listened with un-Caucasian patience to the examiner's concluding remarks and finally went his way alone. What a tangle!
    The dog reappeared at John's whistle and led him back into the city, disappearing whenever they encountered other people. No one recognized John as the Standard intruder, perhaps because of those un-Standard facial contours of his. At last they stopped at an attractive house with yellow walls and a red roof.
    "Here? Both of them?"
    Canute wagged his tail.
    "How do we get in? Without alerting the natives, I mean." The dog would not understand his words but should pick up the gist from the tone.
    Canute trotted around to a hidden section of the sidewall. He dug his claws into the sunbaked brick and began to climb.
    "Hey! I can't follow you there!"
    The gomdog went on climbing. The wall was about twelve feet high on the outside. Canute disappeared under the extended red eaves while John waited in frustration below.