Astounding Science Fiction (British edition) — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

66 ASTOUNDING SCIENCE FICTION But the second purpose is escaping from wolves. They can’t do that on the basis of each-for-himself. They have to have their signals straight, and follow them.” It was Chang’s turn to interrupt. “That’s true, that’s true! Humans have learned to think socially, a little, but it’s only reasonable that an animal which just naturally thinks that way should be different. No wonder we’ve had trouble understanding the nib- blies! ’'m afraid of something. I’m afraid I’ve talked too long again.” Balch started. “That’s right—we should be protecting that wounded nibbly out there.” He jumped to the air lock opening, peered around the treetop that still blocked it. ““Whew! Good for Ranji. He’s landed the copter and is standing there.” “Well, that’s a relief. Maybe the nibblies will still trust us.’’ She ad- dressed Judy and the rest, trying to control her excitement enough to be coherent. “‘Listen, I can’t wait to test this. We should try it right away. I’ve been trying to talk with Brian; we should try to talk with a whole herd. We can do it in the clearing— two of us, we have two of those ‘com- municators.’ We’ll need five people or more to help out with mechanical de- tails and guard us from wolves. And we'll have to take—” “Hold on,” said Judy, smiling in sympathy with Chang’s elation. “There are other things to be done, too. Most urgent, we should have a discussion of what happened when the wolf was approaching the air lock. What a disorganized bunch we were! It’s lucky this is a nice hospitable world. If we were ever in real danger, it'd just be chaos.” Catching the twinkle in Balch’s eye, she finished, “We should put our noses together real soon and conduct a little good sense.” But Chang’s impatience prevailed. Twenty minutes later the stage was set. A gamble had been made: Brian, the one nibbly with whom they’d had any contact worth noticing, had been turned loose. Max and Felicia had been turned loose at the same time, Rose being kept behind at Judy’s sug- gestion so that if Chang and Balch © were wrong there’d still be one captive. When the three had been freed, they’d gone into the expected huddle. Chang’s assumption was that Brian had indicated to the others the possi- bility that humans were articulate animals; and that both he and Max had had a good deal to say about humans’ trustworthiness. But she couldn’t know, yet. Perhaps the three had made too small a group for rationality. They'd left together, with Sumer following overhead in the copter to watch for wolves as well as he could. And now Chang sat in the clearing, waiting. On the tables beside her, among other necessary articles, were the two communicators. They had been hastily modified to record any current that flowed through them. Another recorder was hooked up to a microphone on each table; if possible, the human members of the confer- ences would interpret as they went along. If possible! And if the con- ferences took place! Chang did not look at the nibblies’ bridge to the air lock, which still stood, or at the two animals that had fallen from it, who were both dead but had not yet been taken aboard for dissection. She sat and stared at the forest—the wavering vertical tree trunks catching the sun like waterfalls, surrounded by blue-green mist. No nibblies so far; only the armed crew members patrolling the clearing. , Hearing a step behind her, she connicloooks.c© inn