Free Star Ship on Saddle Mountain by Richard Ackley

easy. At least, it looks easy for you."
"It is easy, Charles. I shall be glad to teach you
the Interplanetary tongue, give you some speed up, if you will tell
me things about your world, Charles."
Charlie was smiling, then he laughed as Dondee's
thoughts came to him. The alien boy frowned.
"Why do you feel amused?"
"I was just figuring, about your face, Dondee! It's
kind of long. The shape of it, I mean. You remind me a little bit
of my horse, Navajo—" and Charlie pointed to the old horse over at
the panoramic view.
Charlie's face straightened and the smile faded
away as he saw the angry flash, the sparks of gold in the alien
boy's eyes. The big green pupils were very bright. Charlie also got
the tumbling thought impulses. Then a second later the alien boy's
arms were up swinging, and Charlie staggered back— taken by
surprise. Then they were fighting hard, as Charlie got on his
guard! In another minute Charlie landed on the deck of the empty
tier, punching back as he fought off Dondee's wild attack. Swinging
hard, he was able to regain his feet again. Then he caught Dondee
off guard. The alien
boy staggered as he got up from the floor. Dondee
stood there, dazed, as Charlie held back the intended punch.
Feeling his jaw tenderly, Dondee looked again, his eyes very wide,
as he stared at Charlie's clenched fist.
Apparently more curious than afraid, he looked at
Charlie's face again, then pointed at his fist. Wide-eyed with
surprise, Charlie too looked at his own fist as he lowered it. He
then realized that the alien boy had not known about fighting with
his fists closed, and using them to pound an opponent. He had
fought Charlie with an open-handed, slashing blow, something like
judo wrestlers used.
"Is—is that the way," Dondee's impulse came to
Charlie as the alien boy breathed hard, "—the way your world
fights?"
"It sure is!" Charlie replied, getting over his
momentary surprise and once more on his guard. "If you think I
can't—"
"No, Charles," came the somewhat analytical impulse
from Dondee, "I am not concerned as to which of us can, through
brute force, settle the point of order. Or, as your mind's picture
sends it, beat up the other. In fact, Charles, I am quite sorry
that I lost my control and acted in so primitive a manner."
Charlie was a little startled with the apology, or
what seemed like it, for Dondee had by no means lost the fight. He
was a tough character to come up against. Charlie quickly tagged
his opponent. But he couldn't back down since Dondee had started
the fight.
"Primitive—just what do you mean by that
crack—"
"All temporary loss of reason is primitive,
Charles. But it was because you said I looked like the animal—your
horse."
Charlie grinned suddenly, understanding now for the
first time why Dondee had attacked him.
    "I get it, Dondee. You thought I
meant it in a bad way. j But I didn't, Dondee. Honest."
"I realize that now, Charles. Again I am very sorry
for my attack upon your person."
    "I'm kind of sorry too," Charlie
said. "I only said that about your face, because it is a little bit longer
than mine. Besides, your face is good-looking, Dondee, or I
wouldn't of said you looked a little bit like Navajo. Nav is my
best friend, so that ought to prove that I don't think you're a bad
guy."
Dondee looked again at Navajo, considering for a
moment, then back to Charlie. He stretched out his hand.
    "Charles," he said, "shake!"
Charlie shook hands gladly.
"See, Charles, I can do one thing of your world
already— one of your customs."
"I guess we're friends again, Dondee ... if you
want to be."
"I—" came the impulse, then Dondee paused,
frowning. He glanced up at the ceiling of the tier as he tried to
find the right words. Then he looked back quickly at Charlie,
smiling happily.
"I sure do, Charles!"
    "Doggone your hide—I almost felt
as if that impulse meant I sure
do , Dondee—the
way I got it."
The alien boy nodded. "It did! But it is still
difficult for me to use any of the higher mental