"Thought is our food and drink," she said. "We cannot eat our own thoughts, for that would be cannibalism. The wild crop that we collect at random over the earth is neither satisfying nor dependable. That is why we seek to cultivate our own foodstuffs. You two human beings will supply us with food. In time you will be mental giants."
"You made no mistake when you picked me," Dr. Duerkes beamed. "Already my thoughts are pretty well advanced."
"Your thoughts are quite obvious," Loetta retorted. "You simply have a knack of guessing the right answers and for most things there is more than one right answer. I'm afraid that we'll have to depend on Hawes to supply us with the staple foods. You can give us the lighter stuff—desserts and pastry—"
"Hawes! Why he never had a deep thought in his life!" Duerkes exclaimed.
"His thoughts are rather cute. Very simple, tender and digestible." She sighed. "It is funny none of us Green Clouds ever thought about kissing before."
Loetta took a step forward, threw her arms around Captain Hawes and planted a deep, fervent kiss on his lips.
"I think," Captain Hawes said, as he and his companion were led to a little garden of clouds, "that I am well enough stimulated to win a grand championship as a mental milch cow."
"Bah!" Dr. Duerkes snorted. "This is no superior race!"
The Green Clouds insisted that their food be of the highest quality. But their standards were their own. Noble philosophy was carted away by the scavengers scarcely nibbled, while thrilling, exciting thoughts were bolted ravenously.