Smith offered
this: why couldn't the humans retire to some cave, or build
tight-walled huts, and thus bar out the bees?
No sooner had he made the remark, however, than the engineer
declared his own plan no good. "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.
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