before adam-第17部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


down　to　the　water；　where　a　log　had　grounded　in　an　eddy。

I　thought　he　was　minded　to　play；　as　we　had　played　in

the　mouth　of　the　slough。　　Nor　did　I　change　my　mind　as　I

watched　him　tow　up　a　second　log　from　farther　down　the

shore。



It　was　not　until　we　were　on　the　logs；　side　by　side　and

holding　them　together；　and　had　paddled　out　into　the

current；　that　I　learned　his　intention。　　He　paused　to

point　at　the　far　shore；　and　resumed　his　paddling；　at

the　same　time　uttering　loud　and　encouraging　cries。　　I

understood；　and　we　paddled　energetically。　The　swift

current　caught　us；　flung　us　toward　the　south　shore；　but

before　we　could　make　a　landing　flung　us　back　toward　the

north　shore。



Here　arose　dissension。　　Seeing　the　north　shore　so　near；

I　began　to　paddle　for　it。　　Lop…Ear　tried　to　paddle　for

the　south　shore。　　The　logs　swung　around　in　circles；　and

we　got　nowhere；　and　all　the　time　the　forest　was

flashing　past　as　we　drifted　down　the　stream。　　We　could

not　fight。　　We　knew　better　than　to　let　go　the　grips　of

hands　and　feet　that　held　the　logs　together。　　But　we

chattered　and　abused　each　other　with　our　tongues　until

the　current　flung　us　toward　the　south　bank　again。　　That

was　now　the　nearest　goal；　and　together　and　amicably　we

paddled　for　it。　　We　landed　in　an　eddy；　and　climbed

directly　into　the　trees　to　reconnoitre。







CHAPTER　XIII





It　was　not　until　the　night　of　our　first　day　on　the

south　bank　of　the　river　that　we　discovered　the　Fire

People。　　What　must　have　been　a　band　of　wandering

hunters　went　into　camp　not　far　from　the　tree　in　which

Lop…Ear　and　I　had　elected　to　roost　for　the　night。　　The

voices　of　the　Fire　People　at　first　alarmed　us；　but

later；　when　darkness　had　come；　we　were　attracted　by　the

fire。　　We　crept　cautiously　and　silently　from　tree　to

tree　till　we　got　a　good　view　of　the　scene。



In　an　open　space　among　the　trees；　near　to　the　river；

the　fire　was　burning。　　About　it　were　half　a　dozen

Fire…Men。　　Lop…Ear　clutched　me　suddenly；　and　I　could

feel　him　tremble。　　I　looked　more　closely；　and　saw　the

wizened　little　old　hunter　who　had　shot　Broken…Tooth　out

of　the　tree　years　before。　　When　he　got　up　and　walked

about；　throwing　fresh　wood　upon　the　fire；　I　saw　that　he

limped　with　his　crippled　leg。　　Whatever　it　was；　it　was

a　permanent　injury。　　He　seemed　more　dried　up　and

wizened　than　ever；　and　the　hair　on　his　face　was　quite

gray。



The　other　hunters　were　young　men。　　I　noted；　lying　near

them　on　the　ground；　their　bows　and　arrows；　and　I　knew

the　weapons　for　what　they　were。　　The　Fire…Men　wore

animal　skins　around　their　waists　and　across　their

shoulders。　　Their　arms　and　legs；　however；　were　bare；

and　they　wore　no　footgear。　　As　I　have　said　before；　they

were　not　quite　so　hairy　as　we　of　the　Folk。　　They　did

not　have　large　heads；　and　between　them　and　the　Folk

there　was　very　little　difference　in　the　degree　of　the

slant　of　the　head　back　from　the　eyes。



They　were　less　stooped　than　we；　less　springy　in　their

movements。　Their　backbones　and　hips　and　knee…joints

seemed　more　rigid。　　Their　arms　were　not　so　long　as　ours

either；　and　I　did　not　notice　that　they　ever　balanced

themselves　when　they　walked；　by　touching　the　ground　on

either　side　with　their　hands。　　Also；　their　muscles　were

more　rounded　and　symmetrical　than　ours；　and　their　faces

were　more　pleasing。　　Their　nose　orifices　opened

downward；　likewise　the　bridges　of　their　noses　were　more

developed；　did　not　look　so　squat　nor　crushed　as　ours。

Their　lips　were　less　flabby　and　pendent；　and　their

eye…teeth　did　not　look　so　much　like　fangs。　　However；

they　were　quite　as　thin…hipped　as　we；　and　did　not　weigh

much　more。　Take　it　all　in　all；　they　were　less　different

from　us　than　were　we　from　the　Tree　People。　　Certainly；

all　three　kinds　were　related；　and　not　so　remotely

related　at　that。



The　fire　around　which　they　sat　was　especially

attractive。　　Lop…Ear　and　I　sat　for　hours；　watching　the

flames　and　smoke。　　It　was　most　fascinating　when　fresh

fuel　was　thrown　on　and　showers　of　sparks　went　flying

upward。　　I　wanted　to　come　closer　and　look　at　the　fire；

but　there　was　no　way。　　We　were　crouching　in　the　forks

of　a　tree　on　the　edge　of　the　open　space；　and　we　did　not

dare　run　the　risk　of　being　discovered。



The　Fire…Men　squatted　around　the　fire　and　slept　with

their　heads　bowed　forward　on　their　knees。　　They　did　not

sleep　soundly。　　Their　ears　twitched　in　their　sleep；　and

they　were　restless。　　Every　little　while　one　or　another

got　up　and　threw　more　wood　upon　the　fire。　　About　the

circle　of　light　in　the　forest；　in　the　darkness　beyond；

roamed　hunting　animals。　　Lop…Ear　and　I　could　tell　them

by　their　sounds。　　There　were　wild　dogs　and　a　hyena；　and

for　a　time　there　was　a　great　yelping　and　snarling　that

awakened　on　the　instant　the　whole　circle　of　sleeping

Fire…Men。



Once　a　lion　and　a　lioness　stood　beneath　our　tree　and

gazed　out　with　bristling　hair　and　blinking　eyes。　　The

lion　licked　his　chops　and　was　nervous　with　eagerness；

as　if　he　wanted　to　go　forward　and　make　a　meal。　　But　the

lioness　was　more　cautious。　　It　was　she　that　discovered

us；　and　the　pair　stood　and　looked　up　at　us；　silently；

with　twitching；　scenting　nostrils。　　Then　they　growled；

looked　once　again　at　the　fire；　and　turned　away　into　the

forest。



For　a　much　longer　time　Lop…Ear　and　I　remained　and

watched。　　Now　and　again　we　could　hear　the　crashing　of

heavy　bodies　in　the　thickets　and　underbrush；　and　from

the　darkness　of　the　other　side；　across　the　circle；　we

could　see　eyes　gleaming　in　the　firelight。　In　the

distance　we　heard　a　lion　roar；　and　from　far　off　came

the　scream　of　some　stricken　animal；　splashing　and

floundering　in　a　drinking…place。　　Also；　from　the　river；

came　a　great　grunting　of　rhinoceroses。



In　the　morning；　after　having　had　our　sleep；　we　crept

back　to　the　fire。　　It　was　still　smouldering；　and　the

Fire…Men　were　gone。　　We　made　a　circle　through　the

forest　to　make　sure；　and　then　we　ran　to　the　fire。　　I

wanted　to　see　what　it　was　like；　and　between　thumb　and

finger　I　picked　up　a　glowing　coal。　　My　cry　of　pain　and

fear；　as　I　dropped　it；　stampeded　Lop…Ear　into　the

trees；　and　his　flight　frightened　me　after　him。



The　next　time　we　came　back　more　cautiously；　and　we

avoided　the　glowing　coals。　　We　fell　to　imitating　the

Fire…Men。　　We　squatted　down　by　the　fire；　and　with　heads

bent　forward　on　our　knees；　made　believe　to　sleep。　　Then

we　mimicked　their　speech；　talking　to　each　other　in

their　fashion　and　making　a　great　gibberish。　　I

remembered　seeing　the　wizened　old　hunter　poke　the　fire

with　a　stick。　　I　poked　the　fire　with　a　stick；　turning

up　masses　of　live　coals　and　clouds　of　white　ashes。

This　was　great　sport；　and　soon　we　were　coated　white

with　the　ashes。



It　was　inevitable　that　we　should　imitate　the　Fire…Men

in　replenishing　the　fire。　　We　tried　it　first　with　small

pieces　of　wood。　　It　was　a　success。　　The　wood　flamed　up

and　crackled；　and　we　danced　and　gibbered　with　delight。

Then　we　began　to　throw　on　larger　pieces　of　wood。　　We

put　on　more　and　more；　until　we　had　a　mighty　fire。　　We

dashed　excitedly　back　and　forth；　dragging　dead　limbs

and　branches　from　out　the　forest。　　The　flames　soared

higher　and　higher；　and　the　smoke…column　out…towered　the

trees。　　There　was　a　tremendous　snapping　and　crackling

and　roaring。　　It　was　the　most　monumental　work　we　had

ever　effected　with　our　hands；　and　we　were　proud　of　it。

We；　too；　were　Fire…Men；　we　thought；　as　we　danced　there；

white　gnomes　in　the　conflagration。



The　dried　grass　and　underbrush　caught　fire；　but　we　did

not　notice　it。　　Suddenly　a　great　tree　on　the　edge　of

the　open　space　burst　into　flames。



We　looked　at　it　with　startled　eyes。　　The　heat　of　it

drove　us　back。　Another　tree　caught；　and　another；　and

then　half　a　dozen。　　We　were　frightened。　　The　monster

had　broken　loose。　　We　crouched　down　in　fear；　while　the

fire　ate　around　the　circle　and　hemmed　us　in。　　Into

Lop…Ear's　eyes　came　the　plaintive　look　that　always

accompanied　incomprehension；　and　I　know　that　in　my　eyes

must　have　been　the　same　look。　　We　huddled；　with　our

arms　around　each　other；　until　the　heat　began　to　reach

us　and　the　odor　of　burning　hair　was　in　our　nostrils。

Then　we　made　a　dash　of　it；　and　fled　away　westward

through　the　forest；　looking　back　and　laughing　as　we

ran。



By　the　middle　of　the　day　we　came　to　a　neck　of　land；

made；　as　we　afterward　discovered；　by　a　great　curve　of

the　river　that　almost　completed　a　circle。　　Right　across

the　neck　lay　bunched　several　low　and　partly　wooded

hills。　　Over　these　we　climbed；　looking　backward　at　the

forest　which　had　become　a　sea　of　flame　that　swept

eastward　before　a　rising　wind。　　We　continued　to　the

west；　following　the　river　bank；　and　before　we　knew　it

we　were　in　the　midst　of　the　abiding…place　of　the　Fire

People。



This　abiding…place　was　a　splendid　strategic　selection。

It　was　a　peninsula；　protected　on　three　sides　by　the

curving　river。　　On　only　one　side　was　it　accessible　by