the edge of the cliff.
It fell directly upon the head of an archer, crushing him to instant
death and carrying his mangled corpse with it to the bottom of the
declivity, and on its way brushing three more of the attackers into the
hereafter.

Gr-gr-gr turned toward me in surprise. For an instant he appeared to
doubt the sincerity of my motives. I felt that perhaps my time had
come when he reached for me with one of his giant paws; but I dodged
him, and running a few paces to the right hurled down another missile.
It, too, did its allotted work of destruction. Then I picked up
smaller fragments and with all the control and accuracy for which I had
earned justly deserved fame in my collegiate days I rained down a hail
of death upon those beneath me.

Gr-gr-gr was coming toward me again. I pointed to the litter of rubble
upon the cliff-top.

"Hurl these down upon the enemy!" I cried to him. "Tell your warriors
to throw rocks down upon them!"

At my words the others of the first line, who had been interested
spectators of my tactics, seized upon great boulders or bits of rock,
whichever came first to their hands, and, without, waiting for a
command from Gr-gr-gr, deluged the terrified cave men with a perfect
avalanche of stone. In less than no time the cliff-face was stripped
of enemies and the village of Gr-gr-gr was saved.

Gr-gr-gr was standing beside me when the last of the cave men
disappeared in rapid flight down the valley. He was looking at me
intently.

"Those were your people," he said. "Why did you kill them?"

"They were not my people," I returned. "I have told you that before,
but you would not believe me. Will you believe me now when I tell you
that I hate Hooja and his tribe as much as you do? Will you believe me
when I tell you that I wish to be the friend of Gr-gr-gr?"

For some time he stood there beside me, scratching his head. Evidently
it was no less difficult for him to readjust his preconceived
conclusions than it is for most human beings; but finally the idea
percolated--which it might never have done had he been a man, or I
might qualify that statement by saying had he been some men. Finally
he spoke.

"Gilak," he said, "you have made Gr-gr-gr ashamed. He would have
killed you. How can he reward you?"

"Set me free," I replied quickly.

"You are free," he said. "You may go down when you wish, or you may
stay with us. If you go you may always return. We are your frien