Toal said, "If carry that for the Hog, he has been shot with those. Did
not hurt much. Of course, were older models."
Wiping at the perspiration splashing down my face, I knelt and examined
the hoofprints, which were roughly thirty-five centimeters long and
spaced, from front hoofs to back, almost five meters apart. "How big is
the Hog?" I asked.
"Some sows were nine feet high, fifteen feet long."
We slowly crossed the broken bridge. I said, "What's this about
dimensions in feet?"
Toal spoke as if quoting a lesson. "In an old book, Joe Nordo found
forgotten English measurements. These matched the Maggiese body. Joe
Nordo's feet were one foot long. Center of chest to finger tips, with
arm stretched, one yard. First joint of little finger, one inch. Was
two yards tall."
Toal suddenly smiled as if unaccustomed to smiling. "Silly," she said.
"Learn such things in school." She threw out a hand in a sweeping
gesture. "Many things here silly. Is true, in the Explored Galaxy,
people do not care if you are blue, black, white? How long your nose
is?"
"Yes, officially at least, there's no discrimination between humans and
intelligent beings because of physical appearance."