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multiplicity of intelligent races. This animal is called a bundii and it is
famous," said Peep, lowering his gaze to the moss once more, "for its lack of
ferocity. Although my size, in its wild state, it is often the prey of other
wild animals much smaller than itself."
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Peep looked up and around at the faces of the three humans.
"In fact," he continued, earnestly, "a common phrase on Quebahr particularly
among the Walats, who make rather a cult of courage is, 'cowardly as a
bundii.' And I think," concluded Peep, with humility, "it will be very
enlightening for me to adopt such a character, young friends."
He waited as if for some answer. None of the three, however, seemed to be able
to think of any.
"I will supposedly be your pet, you see," said Peep, driving the fact home.
"Perhaps you should make a special effort to call me 'Hey, you!* and give me
orders when we practice our roles the rest of today."
"Practice?" asked Jim. "Aren't we going to get going right away?"
"I think," answered Peep, "we should practice our knowledge of the language
and use of the weapons, today, then get an early start tomorrow down the side
of the mountain to the Port City of Chyk, where we can arrange for a boat to
the next island of Hekko."
"Language!" said Jim, scowling. "We don't know the language, Peep. Maybe you
do "
"Mena'hldm ras suul?" inquired Peep, interrupting him.
"Ha'n ay!" retorted Jim vigorously, making a circle with his upward-pointing
right thumb, and then jerking the thumb upward. He started and stared at this
thumb in surprise.
Peep had just said in Quebahrian and Jim had understood him the equivalent of
"you're kidding me!" And Jim had answered, automatically in the same language,
"I am not!" The gesture with his thumb had been a sort of hand-signal
exclamation point. Now that he was aware of his knowledge of Quebahrian, Jim
was as suddenly aware of his knowledge that the language was full of such
gestures. It was as active as Italian in that way.
"But when did we learn it?" cried Ellen. For Jim, she, and Curt had also
understood what he and Peep had said.
"At the same time you were altered to look like Mauregs," answered Peep.
"Language and habits is a different area of learning from the intellectual
memorization produced by that little device we tried first. Along with Maureg
appearance, you took on the conditioned reflexes of Quebahrian language and
custom; luckily, all three races because of their long intermingling speak the
same tongue. Observe, young friends" Peep pointed to their sashes and their
bows, swords, and daggers "how you have arranged your clothing and armament
correctly without stopping to think about how you should do it."
It was true, thought Jim, looking at Curt and Ellen. They both wore their
clothes and their weapons as if they had been used to them all their lives.
"But," went on Peep, "in spite of your new conditioned reflexes, there is
bound to be a certain self-consciousness in using these attributes at first.
Which is why I suggest we spend the rest of this day talking and behaving as
Quebahrians."
He beamed at them.
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"I, too," he said, "must practice the part of a timid bundii, unable to speak
more than a few words and not gifted with intelligence. Shall we begin our
practice by assuming that we are going into an inn and demanding lodging for
the night. Young friend, Jim, suppose you do the talking this first time we
act it out, and the tree over there can be the innkeeper..."
They began their practicing. It went very well, except that a little over an
hour later there was a small noise and a small puff of smoke, as the lifeboat
blew up.
It left no trace of its presence. They were now really stranded on Quebahr.
They play-acted until dark, made a meal off some provisions among the
supplies, and rolled up for the night in their cloaks which, as Curt had
noticed, were surprisingly warm on the soft moss. The sun woke them early and
they headed down the side of the volcano.
As they went, they moved out from under the tall, pinelike trees with all
their branches at the top, into an area of shorter trees somewhat like palms.
These grew in clumps with little open areas between them, floored not with
moss but with some grasslike vegetation. Here they also ran into their first
insects, which buzzed about them, but did not bite.
"I'll bet no insects here will bite us," said Ellen.
"We're alien to this world, and that probably means we can't eat them, and the
native life can't eat us."
"Who says so?" demanded Curt, crankily, batting at the insects. "Maybe they
don't bite, but they get in my ear and buzz. What makes you so sure?"
"It's one of the basic premises of xenobiology," said Ellen, agreeably. Jim
frowned at her, puzzled. Not that he had ever been able to understand other
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