It was very light. There were three full moons in the sky and the sky was reddening toward dawn.
The lovebird was a giant cock with bright red wing tips.
"I remember you, spaceman, from the other time you were here. I was a young fellow then but I can still talk." He spoke carefully in a low, cooing manner.
"You are friends, aren't you? The ones in white are enemies. They killed and ate three of us. We never heard of intelligent beings eating each other."
"We are friends, and the ones in white are our enemies," Jan said.
"You will be happy, then, if we destroy them?"
"I will be very happy. But how will you do it? Remember, they have very dangerous weapons. We have none."
"First we must learn about them. Tell us all you know. Then we will spy on them for a long time."
Jan told him all that he knew of the Mohcans as individuals and as a sect. The sun was well up when he finished. The bird leaped into the air with a long musical cry as piercing as a trumpet call. In a few moments hundreds of birds settled about them with fruit and fish in their claws.
"We will help you to live, and, in return, you and your men must teach all of us your language."