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crossed　arms。　　Then　Red…Eye　slammed　him　face…downward

to　the　ground。　　Old　Marrow…Bone　did　not　struggle。　　He

lay　there　crying　with　the　fear　of　death。　　I　saw　the

Hairless　One；　out　in　the　open　space；　beating　his　chest

and　bristling；　but　afraid　to　come　forward。　　And　then；

in　obedience　to　some　whim　of　his　erratic　spirit；

Red…Eye　let　the　old　man　alone　and　passed　on　and

recovered　the　stick。



He　returned　to　the　wall　and　began　to　climb　up。

Lop…Ear；　who　was　shivering　and　peeping　alongside　of　me；

scrambled　back　into　the　cave。　　It　was　plain　that

Red…Eye　was　bent　upon　murder。　　I　was　desperate　and

angry　and　fairly　cool。　　Running　back　and　forth　along

the　neighboring　ledges；　I　gathered　a　heap　of　rocks　at

the　cave…entrance。　　Red…Eye　was　now　several　yards

beneath　me；　concealed　for　the　moment　by　an　out…jut　of

the　cliff。　　As　he　climbed；　his　head　came　into　view；　and

I　banged　a　rock　down。　　It　missed；　striking　the　wall　and

shattering；　but　the　flying　dust　and　grit　filled　his

eyes　and　he　drew　back　out　of　view。



A　chuckling　and　chattering　arose　from　the　horde；　that

played　the　part　of　audience。　　At　last　there　was　one　of

the　Folk　who　dared　to　face　Red…Eye。　　As　their　approval

and　acclamation　arose　on　the　air；　Red…Eye　snarled　down

at　them；　and　on　the　instant　they　were　subdued　to

silence。　　Encouraged　by　this　evidence　of　his　power；　he

thrust　his　head　into　view；　and　by　scowling　and　snarling

and　gnashing　his　fangs　tried　to　intimidate　me。　　He

scowled　horribly；　contracting　the　scalp　strongly　over

the　brows　and　bringing　the　hair　down　from　the　top　of

the　head　until　each　hair　stood　apart　and　pointed

straight　forward。



The　sight　chilled　me；　but　I　mastered　my　fear；　and；　with

a　stone　poised　in　my　hand；　threatened　him　back。　　He

still　tried　to　advance。　I　drove　the　stone　down　at　him

and　made　a　sheer　miss。　　The　next　shot　was　a　success。

The　stone　struck　him　on　the　neck。　　He　slipped　back　out

of　sight；　but　as　he　disappeared　I　could　see　him

clutching　for　a　grip　on　the　wall　with　one　hand；　and

with　the　other　clutching　at　his　throat。　　The　stick　fell

clattering　to　the　ground。



I　could　not　see　him　any　more；　though　I　could　hear　him

choking　and　strangling　and　coughing。　　The　audience　kept

a　death…like　silence。　I　crouched　on　the　lip　of　the

entrance　and　waited。　　The　strangling　and　coughing　died

down；　and　I　could　hear　him　now　and　again　clearing　his

throat。　　A　little　later　he　began　to　climb　down。　　He

went　very　quietly；　pausing　every　moment　or　so　to

stretch　his　neck　or　to　feel　it　with　his　hand。



At　the　sight　of　him　descending；　the　whole　horde；　with

wild　screams　and　yells；　stampeded　for　the　woods。　　Old

Marrow…Bone；　hobbling　and　tottering；　followed　behind。

Red…Eye　took　no　notice　of　the　flight。　When　he　reached

the　ground　he　skirted　the　base　of　the　bluff　and　climbed

up　and　into　his　own　cave。　　He　did　not　look　around　once。



I　stared　at　Lop…Ear；　and　he　stared　back。　　We　understood

each　other。　　Immediately；　and　with　great　caution　and

quietness；　we　began　climbing　up　the　cliff。　　When　we

reached　the　top　we　looked　back。　　The　abiding…place　was

deserted；　Red…Eye　remained　in　his　cave；　and　the　horde

had　disappeared　in　the　depths　of　the　forest。



We　turned　and　ran。　　We　dashed　across　the　open　spaces

and　down　the　slopes　unmindful　of　possible　snakes　in　the

grass；　until　we　reached　the　woods。　　Up　into　the　trees

we　went；　and　on　and　on；　swinging　our　arboreal　flight

until　we　had　put　miles　between　us　and　the　caves。　And

then；　and　not　till　then；　in　the　security　of　a　great

fork；　we　paused；　looked　at　each　other；　and　began　to

laugh。　　We　held　on　to　each　other；　arms　and　legs；　our

eyes　streaming　tears；　our　；sides　aching；　and　laughed

and　laughed　and　laughed。







CHAPTER　X





After　we　had　had　out　our　laugh；　Lop…Ear　and　I　curved

back　in　our　flight　and　got　breakfast　in　the　blueberry

swamp。　　It　was　the　same　swamp　to　which　I　had　made　my

first　journeys　in　the　world；　years　before；　accompanied

by　my　mother。　　I　had　seen　little　of　her　in　the

intervening　time。　　Usually；　when　she　visited　the　horde

at　the　caves；　I　was　away　in　the　forest。　　I　had　once　or

twice　caught　glimpses　of　the　Chatterer　in　the　open

space；　and　had　had　the　pleasure　of　making　faces　at　him

and　angering　him　from　the　mouth　of　my　cave。　　Beyond

such　amenities　I　had　left　my　family　severely　alone。　　I

was　not　much　interested　in　it；　and　anyway　I　was　doing

very　well　by　myself。



After　eating　our　fill　of　berries；　with　two　nestfuls　of

partly　hatched　quail…eggs　for　dessert；　Lop…Ear　and　I

wandered　circumspectly　into　the　woods　toward　the　river。

Here　was　where　stood　my　old　home…tree；　out　of　which　I

had　been　thrown　by　the　Chatterer。　　It　was　still

occupied。　　There　had　been　increase　in　the　family。

Clinging　tight　to　my　mother　was　a　little　baby。　　Also；

there　was　a　girl；　partly　grown；　who　cautiously　regarded

us　from　one　of　the　lower　branches。　　She　was　evidently

my　sister；　or　half…sister；　rather。



My　mother　recognized　me；　but　she　warned　me　away　when　I

started　to　climb　into　the　tree。　　Lop…Ear；　who　was　more

cautious　by　far　than　I；　beat　a　retreat；　nor　could　I

persuade　him　to　return。　　Later　in　the　day；　however；　my

sister　came　down　to　the　ground；　and　there　and　in

neighboring　trees　we　romped　and　played　all　afternoon。

And　then　came　trouble。　　She　was　my　sister；　but　that　did

not　prevent　her　from　treating　me　abominably；　for　she

had　inherited　all　the　viciousness　of　the　Chatterer。

She　turned　upon　me　suddenly；　in　a　petty　rage；　and

scratched　me；　tore　my　hair；　and　sank　her　sharp　little

teeth　deep　into　my　forearm。　　I　lost　my　temper。　　I　did

not　injure　her；　but　it　was　undoubtedly　the　soundest

spanking　she　had　received　up　to　that　time。



How　she　yelled　and　squalled。　　The　Chatterer；　who　had

been　away　all　day　and　who　was　only　then　returning；

heard　the　noise　and　rushed　for　the　spot。　　My　mother

also　rushed；　but　he　got　there　first。　Lop…Ear　and　I　did

not　wait　his　coming。　　We　were　off　and　away；　and　the

Chatterer　gave　us　the　chase　of　our　lives　through　the

trees。



After　the　chase　was　over；　and　Lop…Ear　and　I　had　had　out

our　laugh；　we　discovered　that　twilight　was　falling。

Here　was　night　with　all　its　terrors　upon　us；　and　to

return　to　the　caves　was　out　of　the　question。　　Red…Eye

made　that　impossible。　　We　took　refuge　in　a　tree　that

stood　apart　from　other　trees；　and　high　up　in　a　fork　we

passed　the　night。　　It　was　a　miserable　night。　　For　the

first　few　hours　it　rained　heavily；　then　it　turned　cold

and　a　chill　wind　blew　upon　us。　Soaked　through；　with

shivering　bodies　and　chattering　teeth；　we　huddled　in

each　other's　arms。　　We　missed　the　snug；　dry　cave　that

so　quickly　warmed　with　the　heat　of　our　bodies。



Morning　found　us　wretched　and　resolved。　　We　would　not

spend　another　such　night。　　Remembering　the

tree…shelters　of　our　elders；　we　set　to　work　to　make　one

for　ourselves。　　We　built　the　framework　of　a　rough　nest；

and　on　higher　forks　overhead　even　got　in　several

ridge…poles　for　the　roof。　　Then　the　sun　came　out；　and

under　its　benign　influence　we　forgot　the　hardships　of

the　night　and　went　off　in　search　of　breakfast。　　After

that；　to　show　the　inconsequentiality　of　life　in　those

days；　we　fell　to　playing。　　It　must　have　taken　us　all　of

a　month；　working　intermittently；　to　make　our

tree…house；　and　then；　when　it　was　completed；　we　never

used　it　again。



But　I　run　ahead　of　my　story。　　When　we　fell　to　playing；

after　breakfast；　on　the　second　day　away　from　the　caves；

Lop…Ear　led　me　a　chase　through　the　trees　and　down　to

the　river。　　We　came　out　upon　it　where　a　large　slough

entered　from　the　blueberry　swamp。　　The　mouth　of　this

slough　was　wide；　while　the　slough　itself　was

practically　without　a　current。　　In　the　dead　water；　just

inside　its　mouth；　lay　a　tangled　mass　of　tree　trunks。

Some　of　these；　what　of　the　wear　and　tear　of　freshets

and　of　being　stranded　long　summers　on　sand…bars；　were

seasoned　and　dry　and　without　branches。　　They　floated

high　in　the　water；　and　bobbed　up　and　down　or　rolled

over　when　we　put　our　weight　upon　them。



Here　and　there　between　the　trunks　were　water…cracks；

and　through　them　we　could　see　schools　of　small　fish；

like　minnows；　darting　back　and　forth。　　Lop…Ear　and　I

became　fishermen　at　once。　　Lying　flat　on　the　logs；

keeping　perfectly　quiet；　waiting　till　the　minnows　came

close；　we　would　make　swift　passes　with　our　hands。　Our

prizes　we　ate　on　the　spot；　wriggling　and　moist。　　We　did

not　notice　the　lack　of　salt。



The　mouth　of　the　slough　became　our　favorite　playground。

Here　we　spent　many　hours　each　day；　catching　fish　and

playing　on　the　logs；　and　here；　one　day；　we　learned　our

first　lessons　in　navigation。　The　log　on　which　Lop…Ear

was　lying　got　adrift。　　He　was　curled　up　on　his　side；

asleep。　　A　light　fan　of　air　slowly　drifted　the　log　away

from　the　shore；　and　when　I　noticed　his　predicament　the

distance　was　already　too　great　for　him　to　leap。



At　first　the　episode　seemed　merely　funny　to　me。　　But

when　one　of