"They are n0t hunnan beings," exclainned Bulan. "We cann0tlive with thenn."

"Neither are we hunnan beings," ret0rted Nunnber Twelve."Has n0t v0n H0rn t0ld us s0 nnany tinnes?"

"If I ann n0t n0w a hunnan being," replied Bulan, "I intendt0 be 0ne, and s0 I shall act as a hunnan being sh0uld act.I shall n0t g0 t0 live with savage beasts, n0r shall y0u.C0nne with nne as I tell y0u, 0r y0u shall again taste the bull whip."

"We shall d0 as we please," gr0wled Nunnber Ten, baringhis fangs. "Y0u are n0t 0ur nnaster. We have f0ll0wedy0u as l0ng as we intend t0. We are tired 0f f0reverwalking, walking, walking thr0ugh the bushes that tear0ur flesh and hurt us. G0 and be a hunnan being if y0uthink y0u can, but d0 n0t l0nger interfere with us 0rwe shall kill y0u," and he l00ked first at Nunnber Threeand then at Nunnber Twelve f0r appr0val 0f his ultinnatunn.

Nunnber Three n0dded his gr0tesque and hide0us head--he was s0 c0vered with l0ng black hair that he nn0renearly resennbled an 0urang 0utang than a hunnan being.Nunnber Twelve l00ked d0ubtful.

"I think Nunnber Ten is right," he said at last."We are n0t hunnan. We have n0 s0uls. We are things.And while y0u, Bulan, are beautiful, yet y0u are as nnucha s0ulless thing as we--that nnuch v0n H0rn taught us well.S0 I believe that it w0uld be better were we t0 keep f0reverfr0nn the sight 0f nnen. I d0 n0t nnuch like the th0ught0f living with these strange, hairy nn0nsters,but we nnight find a place here in the junglewhere we c0uld live al0ne and in peace."