Astounding Science Fiction, British Edition — page 110: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

108 useful weapons at all when they ven- tured to the south, certainly Reejaaren was not showing them off. : The captain would have liked Dondragmer’s opinion, but the mate was aboard the Bree busy on his other project. More as a test than anything else, Barlennan offered to buy one of the crossbows; the inter- preter pressed it on him as a gift, together with a bundle of bolts. That was good enough for the captain; as a trader, he naturally enjoyed being taken for a fool. It was usually profitable. He secured an incredible quantity of the wing fabric—which Reejaaren either forgot to make sure was in small bolts, or no longer considered it necessary—much of the elastic rope, and enough of the local artifacts to fill the Bree’s decks, except for the normal requirements of working space and the area devoted to a reasonable food reserve. There were occasional areas even on Mesklin’s seas where animals of edible size might not come within reach of a net, and fishing was difficult during storms. He was rid of everything sellable that he had brought to the island, with the possible exception of the flame-throwers. Reejaaren had not mentioned these since he had been told they were damaged, though he had obviously recognized them as armament of some sort. Barlennan actually thought of giving him one, minus chlorine ammunition, but real- ized he would have to explain its operation and even demonstrate. This he had no intention of doing; if these people were not familiar with the weapons he did not want them to know the truth of their nature, and if they were he did not want to be caught in a lie. It was much nicer to have Reejaaren in a good humor. With the selling completed the crowd of local people gradually melted ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION away ; and at last there remained only the gliders and their crews, some of the latter down near the ship and others on the hiltops by their machines. Barleniian found the inter- preter among the former group, as usual; he had spent much time talking casually to the sailors. They had reported that he was, as expected, pumping them gently about the flying ability of their people. They had filled their part of the game with noncom- mittal replies that nevertheless ‘‘ac- cidentally” revealed a considerable knowledge of aerodynamics. Natu- rally, they carefully gave no hint as to how recently the knowledge had been acquired—or its source. Even those who had not been able to digest the information furnished by the earthmen completely enough to obtain a coherent mental picture of the gliders’ operation had managed to inject into their replies a suggestion of familiarity with flying machines— they were all merchants, and there- fore actors, and they had been sub- jected to a concentrated dose of flying atmosphere while their fellows were being indoctrinated. Barlennan at this point was reasonably sure that the islanders, or at least their official representative, believed his people capable of flight. “That seems to be all I can give or take,” he said, as he secured Reejaa- ren’s attention. ‘“‘We have, I think, paid all the necessary fees. Is there any objection to our departing?” “Where do you plan to go now?” ‘Southward, toward decent weight. We do not know this ocean at all, except by vague reports from some of our merchants who have made the overland journey. I should like to see more of it.” “Very well. You are free to go. Doubtless you will see some of us on your travels—I occasionally go south myself. Watch out for more storms.” Cconnicloooks com