"These people aren't like us; they couldn't stand
such imprisonment long enough to make their 'strike' worth while."
"Is there any reason," suggested Billie, indifferently, "why they
couldn't weave face nets from some kind of grass, and protect themselves
in that way?"
Smith saw the objection to that, too. "They'd have to protect themselves
all over as well; every inch would have to be covered tightly. From what
I've seen of them I'd say that the arrangement would drive them frantic.
It would be worse than putting clothes on a cat."
"It's a man-sized job we've tackled," commented the doctor. "What Smith
says is true; such people would never stand for any measures which would
restrict their physical freedom. They are simply animals with human
possibilities, nothing more."
He paused, and then added quietly, "By the way, did either of you notice
any mountains just now?"
Smith and Van Emmon both said they had. "Why?"
"Of course, it isn't likely, but--did you see anything like a volcano
anywhere?"
"No," both replied.
"Another thing," Kinney went on. "So far, I've seen nothing that would
indicate lightning, much less the thing itself. Did either of you,"
explicitly, "run across such a thing as a blasted tree?"
They said they had not.
Pages:
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73