Ecce and Old Earth (55 page)

Julian nodded. “That is my count. I have here the proxies for the members not present at the moment. Except for the two elderly members you have mentioned, the entire membership is represented in this room. Do you care to examine the proxies?”

Pirie Tamm smilingly waved away the proffered envelope. “I am sure that they are correct.”

“They are eminently correct,” said Julian. “We have, therefore, assembled a quorum.”

“So it would seem. What do you wish to do? Raise the dues? I would argue against this step, at least for the present.”

“The dues are adequate. Please be good enough to declare this an official meeting of the Naturalist Society, as stipulated in the by-laws.”

“Very well. As Secretary and ranking officer, I declare this an official meeting. Now you must wait for a moment or two until I find the minutes of the last meeting, which, as is customary, I will read to you. Let me think. What did I do with the official record?"

Julian rose to his feet. “Mr. Chairman, I move that the reading of the minutes be eschewed on this occasion.”

“I second, “said Mr. Spangard.

Pirie Tamm glanced around the room. “All in favor? All opposed? The ‘ayes’ have it; the minutes will not be read, which is something of a relief, I must say. Is there old business to be transacted?”

The room was silent.

“No? Is there new business?"

“Yes,” said Julian.

“Chair recognizes Mr. Bohost.”

“I wish to indicate paragraph Twelve of the by-laws wherein it is stated that the secretary may be removed from office at any time, by a two-thirds vote of the membership."

“Thank you, Mr. Bohost. That is an interesting point. Your remarks have been noted. The chair recognizes Mr. Fath.”

“I move that Mr. Pirie Tamm be removed from his office as secretary and replaced with Julian Bohost.”

“Any second to the motion?”

“I second,” said Miss Trefethyn.

“All in favor raise their hands.”

Julian and his four friends raised their hands. Julian said: The proxies vote aye. There are eighteen votes here.”

“The motion is carried. Mr. Bohost, you are now the new Secretary of the Naturalist Society. You may take charge of the meeting forthwith. I congratulate you and I wish you a long and happy tenure. As for myself, I am old and tired; I am delighted to witness this influx of new energy into the grand old Society.”

“Thank you,” said Julian. He darted a suspicious glance toward Glawen and Wayness. Why were their faces so mild and bland?

Pirie Tamm said: “The Society files are in my study. Please remove them at your earliest convenience. Assets are approximately nil. I usually make up the short-fall from my own pocket. Mr. and Mrs. Spangard will no doubt study the accounts in detail, once you have installed them in your own offices.”

Julian cleared his throat. “Now then! After a small piece of business; The Society’s principal asset is the deed to Cadwal planet. As we know, it has been missing for a very long time.”

“True. We have not publicized this fact for obvious reasons.”

“You will be happy to learn that the loss may be remedied. Mr. Fath and Miss Trefethyn tell me that the Society may petition the Gaean Court of Planetary Affairs to declare the old grant lost, irretrievable and invalid, and to issue a replacement. This is standard practice, so I am told, and can be accomplished without difficulty. I mention this principally for the benefit of Miss Tamm and Mr. Clattuc, inasmuch as they have long taken an adversarial position to the Life, Peace and Freedom party which now will conduct a thorough reconstruction of the so-called Conservancy.”

Glawen shook his head slowly. “Wrong again, Julian. If the Peefers want to loot a planet, they must look elsewhere.”

“Don't call us 'Peefers'!” snapped Julian. You have no more legal standing. As soon as the new Grant is executed – “

“But it won’t be executed.”

“Oh? Why not?”

“Because we have found the original.”

Julian stared, his lower lip trembling. Mr. Fath muttered into his ear. Julian said sharply: “In that case, the Grant is part of the assets of the Naturalist Society. Where is it?”

Glawen reached to the shelf at his back, sorted through papers, selected one and tossed it to Julian. “There you are.”

Julian, Mr. Fath and Miss Trefethyn bent their heads over the document. Mr. Fath suddenly jabbed at the document with his finger. “So that is your game!”

Julian asked in bewilderment: “What did they do?”

“They sold Cadwal for one sol, receipt of which is hereby acknowledged. It is signed 'Pirie Tamm' and dated yesterday.”

“You will find the sum of one sol duly entered into the Naturalist Society account," said Pirie Tamm.

“That is fraud!" cried Julian. He snatched the document. “‘Sold to the association known as the CADWAL CONSERVANCY for the sum of one sol.’” Julian turned to Mr. Fath. “Can they do that?”

“In short simple words: yes. It has been done. This grant, if you notice, is now stamped, VOID BY REASON OF SUPERSESSION.”

Julian turned to Glawen. “Where is the new Grant?”

“Here is a copy. It has been recorded. The original is in the safe deposit."

"You are still Secretary of the Naturalist Society,” said Wayness. "It is a fine new career for you!”

"I resign,” cried Julian in brassy tones. He swung around to his friends. “There is nothing more here for us; we are in a den of conservationists; they sting like wasps and bite like serpents. Let us go.” He clapped the hat on his head and stalked from the room, followed by his four friends.

Wayness asked Pirie Tamm: “Who is Secretary of the Naturalist Society now?”

“Not I," said Pirie Tamm. “I fear that there is no more Naturalist Society. It is over and past.”