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of　the　Folk。　　I　had　been　straying；　alone　and　a　child；

for　a　week。　　During　that　time　I　had　seen　not　one　of　my

kind。　　I　had　lived　in　terror　and　desolation。　And　now；

at　the　sight　of　my　kind；　I　was　overcome　with　gladness；

and　I　ran　wildly　toward　them。



Then　it　was　that　a　strange　thing　happened。　　Some　one　of

the　Folk　saw　me　and　uttered　a　warning　cry。　　On　the

instant；　crying　out　with　fear　and　panic；　the　Folk　fled

away。　　Leaping　and　scrambling　over　the　rocks；　they

plunged　into　the　mouths　of　the　caves　and

disappeared。。。all　but　one；　a　little　baby；　that　had　been

dropped　in　the　excitement　close　to　the　base　of　the

bluff。　　He　was　wailing　dolefully。　　His　mother　dashed

out；　he　sprang　to　meet　her　and　held　on　tightly　as　she

scrambled　back　into　the　cave。



I　was　all　alone。　　The　populous　open　space　had　of　a

sudden　become　deserted。　　I　sat　down　forlornly　and

whimpered。　　I　could　not　understand。　　Why　had　the　Folk

run　away　from　me？　In　later　time；　when　I　came　to　know

their　ways；　I　was　to　learn。　　When　they　saw　me　dashing

out　of　the　forest　at　top　speed　they　concluded　that　I

was　being　pursued　by　some　hunting　animal。　　By　my

unceremonious　approach　I　had　stampeded　them。



As　I　sat　and　watched　the　cave…mouths　I　became　aware

that　the　Folk　were　watching　me。　　Soon　they　were

thrusting　their　heads　out。　　A　little　later　they　were

calling　back　and　forth　to　one　another。　　In　the　hurry

and　confusion　it　had　happened　that　all　had　not　gained

their　own　caves。　　Some　of　the　young　ones　had　sought

refuge　in　other　caves。　　The　mothers　did　not　call　for

them　by　name；　because　that　was　an　invention　we　had　not

yet　made。　　All　were　nameless。　The　mothers　uttered

querulous；　anxious　cries；　which　were　recognized　by　the

young　ones。　　Thus；　had　my　mother　been　there　calling　to

me；　I　should　have　recognized　her　voice　amongst　the

voices　of　a　thousand　mothers；　and　in　the　same　way　would

she　have　recognized　mine　amongst　a　thousand。



This　calling　back　and　forth　continued　for　some　time；

but　they　were　too　cautious　to　come　out　of　their　caves

and　descend　to　the　ground。　Finally　one　did　come。　　He

was　destined　to　play　a　large　part　in　my　life；　and　for

that　matter　he　already　played　a　large　part　in　the　lives

of　all　the　members　of　the　horde。　　He　it　was　whom　I

shall　call　Red…Eye　in　the　pages　of　this　historyso

called　because　of　his　inflamed　eyes；　the　lids　being

always　red；　and；　by　the　peculiar　effect　they　produced；

seeming　to　advertise　the　terrible　savagery　of　him。　　The

color　of　his　soul　was　red。



He　was　a　monster　in　all　ways。　　Physically　he　was　a

giant。　　He　must　have　weighed　one　hundred　and　seventy

pounds。　　He　was　the　largest　one　of　our　kind　I　ever　saw。

Nor　did　I　ever　see　one　of　the　Fire　People　so　large　as

he；　nor　one　of　the　Tree　People。　　Sometimes；　when　in　the

newspapers　I　happen　upon　descriptions　of　our　modern

bruisers　and　prizefighters；　I　wonder　what　chance　the

best　of　them　would　have　had　against　him。



I　am　afraid　not　much　of　a　chance。　　With　one　grip　of　his

iron　fingers　and　a　pull；　he　could　have　plucked　a

muscle；　say　a　biceps；　by　the　roots；　clear　out　of　their

bodies。　　A　back…handed；　loose　blow　of　his　fist　could

have　smashed　their　skulls　like　egg…shells。　With　a　sweep

of　his　wicked　feet　（or　hind…hands）　he　could　have

disembowelled　them。　　A　twist　could　have　broken　their

necks；　and　I　know　that　with　a　single　crunch　of　his　jaws

he　could　have　pierced；　at　the　same　moment；　the　great

vein　of　the　throat　in　front　and　the　spinal　marrow　at

the　back。



He　could　spring　twenty　feet　horizontally　from　a　sitting

position。　He　was　abominably　hairy。　　It　was　a　matter　of

pride　with　us　to　be　not　very　hairy。　　But　he　was　covered

with　hair　all　over；　on　the　inside　of　the　arms　as　well

as　the　outside；　and　even　the　ears　themselves。　　The　only

places　on　him　where　the　hair　did　not　grow　were　the

soles　of　his　hands　and　feet　and　beneath　his　eyes。　　He

was　frightfully　ugly；　his　ferocious　grinning　mouth　and

huge　down…hanging　under…lip　being　but　in　harmony　with

his　terrible　eyes。



This　was　Red…Eye。　　And　right　gingerly　he　crept　out　or

his　cave　and　descended　to　the　ground。　　Ignoring　me；　he

proceeded　to　reconnoitre。　　He　bent　forward　from　the

hips　as　he　walked；　and　so　far　forward　did　he　bend；　and

so　long　were　his　arms；　that　with　every　step　he　touched

the　knuckles　of　his　hands　to　the　ground　on　either　side

of　him。　　He　was　awkward　in　the　semi…erect　position　of

walking　that　he　assumed；　and　he　really　touched　his

knuckles　to　the　ground　in　order　to　balance　himself。

But　oh；　I　tell　you　he　could　run　on　all…fours！　Now　this

was　something　at　which　we　were　particularly　awkward。

Furthermore；　it　was　a　rare　individual　among　us　who

balanced　himself　with　his　knuckles　when　walking。　　Such

an　individual　was　an　atavism；　and　Red…Eye　was　an　even

greater　atavism。



That　is　what　he　wasan　atavism。　　We　were　in　the

process　of　changing　our　tree…life　to　life　on　the

ground。　　For　many　generations　we　had　been　going　through

this　change；　and　our　bodies　and　carriage　had　likewise

changed。　　But　Red…Eye　had　reverted　to　the　more

primitive　tree…dwelling　type。　　Perforce；　because　he　was

born　in　our　horde　he　stayed　with　us；　but　in　actuality

he　was　an　atavism　and　his　place　was　elsewhere。



Very　circumspect　and　very　alert；　he　moved　here　and

there　about　the　open　space；　peering　through　the　vistas

among　the　trees　and　trying　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　the

hunting　animal　that　all　suspected　had　pursued　me。　　And

while　he　did　this；　taking　no　notice　of　me；　the　Folk

crowded　at　the　cave…mouths　and　watched。



At　last　he　evidently　decided　that　there　was　no　danger

lurking　about。　　He　was　returning　from　the　head　of　the

run…way；　from　where　he　had　taken　a　peep　down　at　the

drinking…place。　　His　course　brought　him　near；　but　still

he　did　not　notice　me。　　He　proceeded　casually　on　his　way

until　abreast　of　me；　and　then；　without　warning　and　with

incredible　swiftness；　he　smote　me　a　buffet　on　the　head。

I　was　knocked　backward　fully　a　dozen　feet　before　I

fetched　up　against　the　ground；　and　I　remember；

half…stunned；　even　as　the　blow　was　struck；　hearing　the

wild　uproar　of　clucking　and　shrieking　laughter　that

arose　from　the　caves。　　It　was　a　great　jokeat　least　in

that　day；　and　right　heartily　the　Folk　appreciated　it。



Thus　was　I　received　into　the　horde。　　Red…Eye　paid　no

further　attention　to　me；　and　I　was　at　liberty　to

whimper　and　sob　to　my　heart's　content。　　Several　of　the

women　gathered　curiously　about　me；　and　I　recognized

them。　　I　had　encountered　them　the　preceding　year　when

my　mother　had　taken　me　to　the　hazelnut　canyons。



But　they　quickly　left　me　alone；　being　replaced　by　a

dozen　curious　and　teasing　youngsters。　　They　formed　a

circle　around　me；　pointing　their　fingers；　making　faces；

and　poking　and　pinching　me。　　I　was　frightened；　and　for

a　time　I　endured　them；　then　anger　got　the　best　of　me

and　I　sprang　tooth　and　nail　upon　the　most　audacious　one

of　themnone　other　than　Lop…Ear　himself。　　I　have　so

named　him　because　he　could　prick　up　only　one　of　his

ears。　　The　other　ear　always　hung　limp　and　without

movement。　　Some　accident　had　injured　the　muscles　and

deprived　him　of　the　use　of　it。



He　closed　with　me；　and　we　went　at　it　for　all　the　world

like　a　couple　of　small　boys　fighting。　　We　scratched　and

bit；　pulled　hair；　clinched；　and　threw　each　other　down。

I　remember　I　succeeded　in　getting　on　him　what　in　my

college　days　I　learned　was　called　a　half…Nelson。　　This

hold　gave　me　the　decided　advantage。　　But　I　did　not

enjoy　it　long。　　He　twisted　up　one　leg；　and　with　the

foot　（or　hind…hand）　made　so　savage　an　onslaught　upon　my

abdomen　as　to　threaten　to　disembowel　me。　　I　had　to

release　him　in　order　to　save　myself；　and　then　we　went

at　it　again。



Lop…Ear　was　a　year　older　than　I；　but　I　was　several

times　angrier　than　he；　and　in　the　end　he　took　to　his

heels。　　I　chased　him　across　the　open　and　down　a　run…way

to　the　river。　　But　he　was　better　acquainted　with　the

locality　and　ran　along　the　edge　of　the　water　and　up

another　run…way。　　He　cut　diagonally　across　the　open

space　and　dashed　into　a　wide…mouthed　cave。



Before　I　knew　it；　I　had　plunged　after　him　into　the

darkness。　　The　next　moment　I　was　badly　frightened。　　I

had　never　been　in　a　cave　before。　　I　began　to　whimper

and　cry　out。　　Lop…Ear　chattered　mockingly　at　me；　and；

springing　upon　me　unseen；　tumbled　me　over。　He　did　not

risk　a　second　encounter；　however；　and　took　himself　off。

I　was　between　him　and　the　entrance；　and　he　did　not　pass

me；　yet　he　seemed　to　have　gone　away。　　I　listened；　but

could　get　no　clew　as　to　where　he　was。　　This　puzzled　me；

and　when　I　regained　the　outside　I　sat　down　to　watch。



He　never　came　out　of　the　entrance；　of　that　I　was

certain；　yet　at　the　end　of　several　minutes　he　chuckled

at　my　elbow。　　Again　I　ran　after　him；　and　again　he　ran

into　the　cave；　but　this　time　I　stopped　at　the　mouth。　　I

dropped　back　a　short　distance　and　watched。　　He　did　not

come　out；　yet；　as　before；　he　chuckled　at　my　elbow　and

was　chased　by　me　a　third　time　into　the　cave。



This　performance　was　repeated　several　times。　　Then　I

followed　him　into　the　cave；　where　I　searched　vainly　for

him。　　I　was　curious。　　I　could　not　understand　how　he

eluded　me。　　Always　he　went　into　the　cave；　never　did　he

come　out　of　it；　yet　always　did　he　arrive　there　at　my

elbow　and　mock　me。　　Thus　did　our　fight　transform　itself

into　a　game　of　hide　and　seek。



All　afternoon；　with　occasional　intervals；　we　kept　it

up；　and　a　playful；　friendly　spirit　arose　between　us。

In　the　end；　he　did　not　run　away　from　me；　and　we　sat

together　with　our　arms　around　each　other。　　A　little

later　he　disclosed　the　mystery　of　the　wide…mouthed

cave。　　Holding　me　by　the　hand　he　led　me　inside。　　It

connected　by　a　narrow　crevice　with　another　cave；　and　it

was　through　this　that　we　regained　the　open　air。



We　were　now　good　friends。　　When　the　other　young　ones

gathered　around　to　tease；　he　joined　with　me　in

attacking　them；　and　so　viciously