After a dinner of workers have collected before two tents in which the administration took places. The tent left Ball
accompanied by the high military man.
Children, - Ball declared, is colonel Smajers, the representative of our customer.
On crowd has passed movement.
Indeed, - has murmured Dik. - the Military order.
You know, children, - Ball has put hands in pockets and has risen on tiptoe, - that our business idle time: it is good to work,
receive money and to leave home. After all so? All were silent.
And so, colonel Smajers will watch a course of works, and all of us - I as the manufacturer of works, engineers, foremen and
you, children, - we will submit to it to follow its instructions and orders.
What will we build here? - Someone has asked. Ball has exchanged glances with Smajersom. Smajers has pursed lips, has
pulled over eyes a peak-cap and a loud, sharp voice сказал:Вот that, children! We will agree at once that then we did not
have any misunderstanding. The first that I ask you to remember, is that you carry out the military order. Therefore we do not
presume to ourselves any such... - It has clicked fingers, has not found a proper word and has given up as a bad job.
- In general, let's establish on this island kind military discipline. So it will be easier both to you and me. Prove to be the
present, absolute American guys. Consider that work strictly confidential and should be kept secret. You should refuse a
parcel of letters home. But do not worry, about a state of your health the native will regularly receive data from firm offices
"Holmes and Harver" where you employed. In the same place they will weekly receive money - twenty percent. That's all
that I wished to tell to you. I think, we will get on. And now - for work. Workers have slowly dispersed.
Means, we again soldiers, - Mike Diku at dinner has told.
Eventually, - that has easy responded, - something like it and followed expect. Knowingly to us such money pays...
The island was insignificant - kilometres six at length and two - three kilometres at width. The boundless ocean was around
spread, and only in very clear days in the east and in the south it was possible to make out the narrow bluish specks which
have motionlessly hung over horizon.
These are the next atolls, - Dik has told. - They almost always settle down small groups.
Far to them how you think? Three - four, it is no more mile.
In the first weeks of stay on island Charlie, as well as many other workers, with curiosity got accustomed to unfamiliar
conditions, asked Dika, pottered free minutes on shoal, trying to catch the beautiful, brightly painted small fishes who are
scurrying about over the bottom. Somehow time when was especially hot, he has invited Dika to bathe, but that silently has
specified to it in the black triangles dissecting water of a lagoon.
What is it? Sharks. - Dik has spitted out. - always as soon as on an atoll, there are people, these creatures converge in a
lagoon, They guzzle any garbage... But with pleasure will eat in the person. Remember my word, our children still will get
acquainted with them! The prediction of Dika has come true. In some days two more transports have come and have
brought new parties of workers. On island new stacks of steel beams, cars, heaps of boxes with canned food and whisky
have grown. At the height of unloading one of workers has broken for a board. Charlie who was nearby, uslyhal wild, tearing
apart ears shout, rough abuse and hasty shooting. It has rushed to coast, but the lagoon surface was pure. Mike who was
by the ship, swore that own Eyes saw, how disgusting predators have instantly taken away unfortunate on pieces. After that
case along coast have established plates with an inscription: "not to bathe! Sharks!", and at discharging from time to time in
water threw dinamitnye sticks.
But walks Charlie to a lagoon have stopped not because of sharks. Rate of works quickly accrued. It was required to cover
in the shortest term with concrete the most part of a surface of island. People awoke in six o'clock in the morning, and, with
an one hour's interval for a dinner, work proceeded until late at night. Among cars and heaps of cement colonel Smajers, in
an easy jacket with the rolled up sleeves, and silent strolled, but an imperative voice specified to foremen or Ball in backlog
or bad work of less quick workers. At a small house where the administration has taken places, two soldiers of an impressive
kind with holsters on white belts constantly were on duty. Now in lunch breaks Charlie did not run any more to coast to
admire strange small fishes and is gentle-pink polyps. It laid down in a shade of the concrete mixer, using each free minute for
rest. Have soon cancelled the days off, and only on Saturdays of work stopped at three o'clock before the usual.