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gathered　around　to　tease；　he　joined　with　me　in

attacking　them；　and　so　viciously　did　we　behave　that

before　long　I　was　let　alone。　　Lop…Ear　made　me

acquainted　with　the　village。　　There　was　little　that　he

could　tell　me　of　conditions　and　customshe　had　not　the

necessary　vocabulary；　but　by　observing　his　actions　I

learned　much；　and　also　he　showed　me　places　and　things。



He　took　me　up　the　open　space；　between　the　caves　and　the

river；　and　into　the　forest　beyond；　where；　in　a　grassy

place　among　the　trees；　we　made　a　meal　of　stringy…rooted

carrots。　　After　that　we　had　a　good　drink　at　the　river

and　started　up　the　run…way　to　the　caves。



It　was　in　the　run…way　that　we　came　upon　Red…Eye　again。

The　first　I　knew；　Lop…Ear　had　shrunk　away　to　one　side

and　was　crouching　low　against　the　bank。　　Naturally　and

involuntarily；　I　imitated　him。　Then　it　was　that　I

looked　to　see　the　cause　of　his　fear。　　It　was　Red…Eye；

swaggering　down　the　centre　of　the　run…way　and　scowling

fiercely　with　his　inflamed　eyes。　　I　noticed　that　all

the　youngsters　shrank　away　from　him　as　we　had　done；

while　the　grown…ups　regarded　him　with　wary　eyes　when

he　drew　near；　and　stepped　aside　to　give　him　the　centre

of　the　path。



As　twilight　came　on；　the　open　space　was　deserted。　　The

Folk　were　seeking　the　safety　of　the　caves。　　Lop…Ear　led

the　way　to　bed。　High　up　the　bluff　we　climbed；　higher

than　all　the　other　caves；　to　a　tiny　crevice　that　could

not　be　seen　from　the　ground。　　Into　this　Lop…Ear

squeezed。　　I　followed　with　difficulty；　so　narrow　was

the　entrance；　and　found　myself　in　a　small　rock…chamber。

It　was　very　lownot　more　than　a　couple　of　feet　in

height；　and　possibly　three　feet　by　four　in　width　and

length。　　Here；　cuddled　together　in　each　other's　arms；

we　slept　out　the　night。







CHAPTER　VI





While　the　more　courageous　of　the　youngsters　played　in

and　out　of　the　large…mouthed　caves；　I　early　learned

that　such　caves　were　unoccupied。　　No　one　slept　in　them

at　night。　　Only　the　crevice…mouthed　caves　were　used；

the　narrower　the　mouth　the　better。　　This　was　from　fear

of　the　preying　animals　that　made　life　a　burden　to　us　in

those　days　and　nights。



The　first　morning；　after　my　night's　sleep　with　Lop…Ear；

I　learned　the　advantage　of　the　narrow…mouthed　caves。

It　was　just　daylight　when　old　Saber…Tooth；　the　tiger；

walked　into　the　open　space。　　Two　of　the　Folk　were

already　up。　　They　made　a　rush　for　it。　　Whether　they

were　panic…stricken；　or　whether　he　was　too　close　on

their　heels　for　them　to　attempt　to　scramble　up　the

bluff　to　the　crevices；　I　do　not　know；　but　at　any　rate

they　dashed　into　the　wide…mouthed　cave　wherein　Lop…Ear

and　I　had　played　the　afternoon　before。



What　happened　inside　there　was　no　way　of　telling；　but

it　is　fair　to　conclude　that　the　two　Folk　slipped

through　the　connecting　crevice　into　the　other　cave。

This　crevice　was　too　small　to　allow　for　the　passage　of

Saber…Tooth；　and　he　came　out　the　way　he　had　gone　in；

unsatisfied　and　angry。　　It　was　evident　that　his　night's

hunting　had　been　unsuccessful　and　that　he　had　expected

to　make　a　meal　off　of　us。　　He　caught　sight　of　the　two

Folk　at　the　other　cave…mouth　and　sprang　for　them。　　Of

course；　they　darted　through　the　passageway　into　the

first　cave。　　He　emerged　angrier　than　ever　and　snarling。



Pandemonium　broke　loose　amongst　the　rest　of　us。　　All　up

and　down　the　great　bluff；　we　crowded　the　crevices　and

outside　ledges；　and　we　were　all　chattering　and

shrieking　in　a　thousand　keys。　　And　we　were　all　making

facessnarling　faces；　this　was　an　instinct　with　us。

We　were　as　angry　as　Saber…Tooth；　though　our　anger　was

allied　with　fear。　　I　remember　that　I　shrieked　and　made

faces　with　the　best　of　them。　　Not　only　did　they　set　the

example；　but　I　felt　the　urge　from　within　me　to　do　the

same　things　they　were　doing。　　My　hair　was　bristling；

and　I　was　convulsed　with　a　fierce；　unreasoning　rage。



For　some　time　old　Saber…Tooth　continued　dashing　in　and

out　of　first　the　one　cave　and　then　the　other。　　But　the

two　Folk　merely　slipped　back　and　forth　through　the

connecting　crevice　and　eluded　him。　　In　the　meantime　the

rest　of　us　up　the　bluff　had　proceeded　to　action。　　Every

time　he　appeared　outside　we　pelted　him　with　rocks。　At

first　we　merely　dropped　them　on　him；　but　we　soon　began

to　whiz　them　down　with　the　added　force　of　our　muscles。



This　bombardment　drew　Saber…Tooth's　attention　to　us　and

made　him　angrier　than　ever。　　He　abandoned　his　pursuit

of　the　two　Folk　and　sprang　up　the　bluff　toward　the　rest

of　us；　clawing　at　the　crumbling　rock　and　snarling　as　he

clawed　his　upward　way。　　At　this　awful　sight；　the　last

one　of　us　sought　refuge　inside　our　caves。　　I　know　this；

because　I　peeped　out　and　saw　the　whole　bluff…side

deserted；　save　for　Saber…Tooth；　who　had　lost　his

footing　and　was　sliding　and　falling　down。



I　called　out　the　cry　of　encouragement；　and　again　the

bluff　was　covered　by　the　screaming　horde　and　the　stones

were　falling　faster　than　ever。　　Saber…Tooth　was　frantic

with　rage。　　Time　and　again　he　assaulted　the　bluff。

Once　he　even　gained　the　first　crevice…entrances　before

he　fell　back；　but　was　unable　to　force　his　way　inside。

With　each　upward　rush　he　made；　waves　of　fear　surged

over　us。　　At　first；　at　such　times；　most　of　us　dashed

inside；　but　some　remained　outside　to　hammer　him　with

stones；　and　soon　all　of　us　remained　outside　and　kept　up

the　fusillade。



Never　was　so　masterly　a　creature　so　completely　baffled。

It　hurt　his　pride　terribly；　thus　to　be　outwitted　by　the

small　and　tender　Folk。　　He　stood　on　the　ground　and

looked　up　at　us；　snarling；　lashing　his　tail；　snapping

at　the　stones　that　fell　near　to　him。　Once　I　whizzed

down　a　stone；　and　just　at　the　right　moment　he　looked

up。　　It　caught　him　full　on　the　end　of　his　nose；　and　he

went　straight　up　in　the　air；　all　four　feet　of　him；

roaring　and　caterwauling；　what　of　the　hurt　and

surprise。



He　was　beaten　and　he　knew　it。　　Recovering　his　dignity；

he　stalked　out　solemnly　from　under　the　rain　of　stones。

He　stopped　in　the　middle　of　the　open　space　and　looked

wistfully　and　hungrily　back　at　us。　　He　hated　to　forego

the　meal；　and　we　were　just　so　much　meat；　cornered　but

inaccessible。　　This　sight　of　him　started　us　to

laughing。　　We　laughed　derisively　and　uproariously；　all

of　us。　　Now　animals　do　not　like　mockery。　　To　be　laughed

at　makes　them　angry。　And　in　such　fashion　our　laughter

affected　Saber…Tooth。　　He　turned　with　a　roar　and

charged　the　bluff　again。　　This　was　what　we　wanted。　The

fight　had　become　a　game；　and　we　took　huge　delight　in

pelting　him。



But　this　attack　did　not　last　long。　　He　quickly

recovered　his　common　sense；　and　besides；　our　missiles

were　shrewd　to　hurt。　Vividly　do　I　recollect　the　vision

of　one　bulging　eye　of　his；　swollen　almost　shut　by　one

of　the　stones　we　had　thrown。　　And　vividly　do　I　retain

the　picture　of　him　as　he　stood　on　the　edge　of　the

forest　whither　he　had　finally　retreated。　　He　was

looking　back　at　us；　his　writhing　lips　lifted　clear　of

the　very　roots　of　his　huge　fangs；　his　hair　bristling

and　his　tail　lashing。　　He　gave　one　last　snarl　and　slid

from　view　among　the　trees。



And　then　such　a　chattering　as　went　up。　　We　swarmed　out

of　our　holes；　examining　the　marks　his　claws　had　made　on

the　crumbling　rock　of　the　bluff；　all　of　us　talking　at

once。　　One　of　the　two　Folk　who　had　been　caught　in　the

double　cave　was　part…grown；　half　child　and　half　youth。

They　had　come　out　proudly　from　their　refuge；　and　we

surrounded　them　in　an　admiring　crowd。　　Then　the　young

fellow's　mother　broke　through　and　fell　upon　him　in　a

tremendous　rage；　boxing　his　ears；　pulling　his　hair；　and

shrieking　like　a　demon。　She　was　a　strapping　big　woman；

very　hairy；　and　the　thrashing　she　gave　him　was　a

delight　to　the　horde。　　We　roared　with　laughter；　holding

on　to　one　another　or　rolling　on　the　ground　in　our　glee。



In　spite　of　the　reign　of　fear　under　which　we　lived；　the

Folk　were　always　great　laughers。　　We　had　the　sense　of

humor。　　Our　merriment　was　Gargantuan。　　It　was　never

restrained。　　There　was　nothing　half　way　about　it。　　When

a　thing　was　funny　we　were　convulsed　with　appreciation

of　it；　and　the　simplest；　crudest　things　were　funny　to

us。　　Oh；　we　were　great　laughers；　I　can　tell　you。



The　way　we　had　treated　Saber…Tooth　was　the　way　we

treated　all　animals　that　invaded　the　village。　　We　kept

our　run…ways　and　drinking…places　to　ourselves　by　making

life　miserable　for　the　animals　that　trespassed　or

strayed　upon　our　immediate　territory。　Even　the　fiercest

hunting　animals　we　so　bedevilled　that　they　learned　to

leave　our　places　alone。　　We　were　not　fighters　like

them；　we　were　cunning　and　cowardly；　and　it　was　because

of　our　cunning　and　cowardice；　and　our　inordinate

capacity　for　fear；　that　we　survived　in　that　frightfully

hostile　environment　of　the　Younger　World。



Lop…Ear；　I　figure；　was　a　year　older　than　I。　　What　his

past　history　was　he　had　no　way　of　telling　me；　but　as　I

never　saw　anything　of　his　mother　I　believed　him　to　be

an　orphan。　　After　all；　fathers　did　not　count　in　our

horde。　　Marriage　was　as　yet　in　a　rude　state；　and

couples　had　a　way　of　quarrelling　and　separating。

Modern　man；　what　of　his　divorce　institution；　does　the

same　thing　legally。　　But　we　had　no　laws。　　Custom　was

all　we　went　by；　and　our　custom　in　this　particular

matter　was　rather　promiscuous　。



Nevertheless；　as　this　narrative　will　show　later　on；　we

betrayed　glimmering　adumbrations　of　the　monogamy　that

was　later　to　give　power　to；　and　make　mighty；　such

tribes　as　embraced　it。　Furthermore；　even　at　the　time　I

was　born；　there　were　several　faithful　couples　that

lived　in　the　trees　in　the　neighborhood　of　my　mother。

Living　in　the　thick　of　the　horde　did　not　conduce　to

monogamy。　　It　was　for　this　reason；　undoubtedly；　that

the　faithful　couples　went　away　and　lived　by　themselves。

Through　many　years　these　couples　stayed　together；

though　when　the　man　or　woman　died　or　was　eaten　the

survivor　invar