Chow was still wide-eyed with awe. He stared at the strange creature as if expecting it to snap at him in revenge for the gum.
“Don’t worry, old-timer. Think Box won’t bite,” Bud teased. “With that gum spree, he’s just been initiated into our American tribal cus-94 THE VISITOR FROM PLANET X
tomsl” The pilot grinned. “Hey! We haven’t given him a proper name.”
“You’re right.” Tom looked at his pal and chuckled. “Got any ideas?”
“Hmm. Let me see.” Bud scowled and paced about with his hands clasped behind his back. “Firetop-John Q. Pyro-”
“But it ain’t on fire now,” Chow pointed out.
“Maybe not, but he sure blazed a trail getting here,” Bud argued.
Tom and Chow countered with several ideas of their own, but nothing seemed suitable until Bud suddenly stopped short and snapped his fingers.
“I have it! He’s a visitor from Planet X, so let’s call him Exman!” Bud spelled it out.
“Perfect!” Tom was delighted and Chow agreed that it seemed “a right good monicker.” The Texan insisted seriously that if the creature were going to be named, he should also have a proper christening.
“Why not?” Tom agreed, as both boys broke into laughter. Bud also liked the idea.
Chow had a troublesome afterthought. He shoved back his sombrero, squinted frowningly at the brain container, and scratched his bald head. “For boat christenings and statues and what not, you break bottles on ‘em or cut ribbons or pull a sheet off ‘em,” the cook said. “But how in tarnation do you christen a buckaroo from space?”
AN ELECTRICAL CHRISTENING 95