Simpson began whistling and squeaking at length to the little creature. Its shaggy tail crept between its legs and it hung its head like a scolded puppy.
"He says he didn't know a landing craft was supposed to land on the platform," Simpson reported finally. "He's sorry, he says."
"But hasn't he seen a landing craft before?"
Squeak, squeak. "Oh, yes."
"Wasn't he told what the platform was being made for?"
Squeak, squeak. "Of course."
"Then why didn't the platform stand up?"
Simpson sighed. "Maybe he forgot what it was supposed to be used for in the course of building it. Maybe he never really did understand in the first place. I can't get questions like that across to him with this whistling, and I doubt that you'll ever find out which it was."
"Then fire him," said Kielland. "We'll find some other—"
"Oh, no! I mean, let's not be hasty," said Simpson. "I'd hate to have to fire this one—for a while yet, at any rate."