Free The Loafers of Refuge by Joseph Green Page A

require a trace of boric acid for good growth and good seed germination. So a small quantity of borax is added to the rock phosphate and the sulphuric acid acts on it to form the boric acid you need. This white powder? Just plain, ordinary borax, one of the more common minerals of Earth. The fertilizer plant imports it through the transmitter by the ton.”
    The conversation had been in English, and Carey translated for the benefit of the Loafers. “We have found that which the breshwahr needs for the growth of strong seeds, that which was once abundant in this valley and is no more, the salt which caused the breshwahr to learn to think even as you and I.”
    The Loafers, who had watched the trial with intent and earnest faces, broke into happy laughter. There were tears of joy in the old Head Councillor’s eyes when he said, “That is good, very good. If you will give us this we will feed it to the breshwahr as it is needed.”
    Carey translated swiftly for the Harpers, and Sam nodded his head in agreement. Carey turned back to the old man. “We will give the Head Councillor all of that salt, which is called borax, that we have with us, and as much as the trees shall need for all time to come, if the breshwahr will withdraw their roots from the peanut field and permit the small plantsto live. In addition, I ask that the-farmer-who-killed-a-breshwahr receive no further punishment.”
    The old man closed his eyes for a brief moment, and then said, “If the salts are given to the trees in abundance there will be no need to rob the little plants, and the farmer has been punished enough. It shall be as you say.”
    “That is good. And in return I shall ask the Council of the Hairless Ones to restore all land on which the intelligent breshwahr live to the Loafers, that they may continue the trust they have maintained so well through the generations.”
    “That is as it should be. And to prove our hearts are good we will show the strangers who have moved here how to grow crops.” The old man’s face twisted in gentle irony. “They have much to learn of plants.” He looked long and hard into the face of Sam Harper, and one worn old hand reached out to touch him on the shoulder. Then the Head Councillor turned away and hobbled into the woods.
    “And that ends another source of possible trouble between Loafers and Colonists,” said Carey thoughtfully as he lifted the flitter into the air.
    “And think what your friends will learn about growing plants!” said Timmy with a smile.
    “And look at what I learned about being a Controller!” said Doreen happily. “Just to think that someday I’ll be able to talk to a
tree
! It’s almost more than I can imagine.”
    “We’ve been on this planet nineteen years, and we still have only scratched the surface,” said Carey soberly. “Tomorrow we may discover something so revolutionary the trees will seem commonplace.”
    “Yes, and I can hardly wait for tomorrow to come,” replied Doreen. Her hand crept out and into Timmy’s, and they smiled at each other in a way that indicated they were expecting wonders to come in which Carey would not be a participant.

CHAPTER V
    M ICKA FELT THE strong, comforting hand of her mother on her shoulder, gently urging her forward, felt the tall, reassuring presence of her cousin Timmy at her side, but still she hesitated. She had seldom been inside the odd buildings the smooth-faced Earthpeople kept putting up in such large numbers, and they frightened her. Her delicate features, half-hidden behind their covering of fine brown hair, showed the depths of her fear.
    The small girl turned suddenly and looked up at her mother. “I do not want to go to the Hairless Ones’ school!”
    Tharee knelt swiftly, opening the wirtl-leaf cloak that was her only garment and gathering her daughter to her hairy breast. “You must, little one. Your cousin Timmy, and your uncle the Head Councillor, are depending on you and the other children.”
    Micka,