death in a wheat field. A
horse would perish in a butcher shop full of steaks. A man will survive as
long as there's something around to eat--even if it's another man.

"Also, Man, early in his career as top dog on Earth, began using a method
of increasing the viability of the race by removing the unfit. It survives
today in some societies. Before and immediately after the Holocaust, there
were still primitive societies on Earth which made a rather hard ordeal
out of the Rite of Passage--the ceremony that enabled a boy to become a
Man, if he passed the tests.

"A few millennia ago, a boy was killed outright if failed. And eaten.

"The Nipe race must, of necessity, have had some similar ritualistic tests
or they would not have become what they are. And we have already agreed
that, once the Nipes adopted something of that kind, it remained with
them, not so? Yes.

"Also, it is extremely unlikely that the Nipe civilisation--if such it can
be called--has any geriatric problem. No old age pensions, no old folks'
homes, no senility. When a Nipe becomes a burden because of age, he is
ritually murdered and eaten with due solemnity.

"Ah. You frown, my friend. Have I made them sound heartless, without the
finer feelings that we humans are so proud of? Not so. When Junior Nipe
fails his puberty tests, when Mama and Papa Nipe are sent to their final
reward, I have no doubt that there is sadness in the hearts of their loved
ones as the honored T-bones are passed around the table.

"My own ancestors, not too far back, performed a ritual suicide by
disemboweling themselves with a sharp knife. Across the abdomen--so!--and
up into the heart--so! It was considered very bad form to die or faint
before the job was done. Nearby, a relative or close friend stood with a
sharp sword, to administer the _coup de grace_ by decapitation. It was all
very sad and very honorable. Their loved ones bore the sorrow with pride."

His voice, which had been low and tender, suddenly became very brisk.
"Thank goodness it's gone out of fashion!"

"But how can you be _sure_ they're cannibals?" Stanton asked. "Your
argument sounds logical enough, but logic alone isn't enough."

"True! True!" Yoritomo jabbed the air twice with his finger. "Evidence
would be most welcome, would it not? Very well, I give you the evidence.
He eats human beings, our Nipe."

"That doesn't make him a cannibal."

"Not _strictly_, perhaps. But consider. The Nipe is not a mon