h alike," Diane complained smilingly. "He seems to
know his natural history, but he is difficult to understand."

* * * * *

But Towahg proved a valuable man. He cracked two round stones together,
and cleaved off one to a rounded edge. He bound this with withes to a
short stick and in a few minutes had a serviceable stone ax that bit
into slender saplings that were needed for a framework.

Chet nodded his head to call Kreiss' attention to that. "Herr Doktor,"
he said, "it isn't every scientist who has the chance to see a close-up
of the stone age."

But Herr Kreiss, as Chet told Harkness later, did not seem to "snuggle
up nice and friendly" to the grinning savage. "He is armed better than
we," Kreiss complained. "I do not trust him. It is an impossible
situation, this, that civilized men should be dependent upon one so
savage. For what is our _kultur_, our great advancement in all lines of
mental endeavor, if at the last, when tested by nature, we must rely
upon such assistance?"

Chet saw Herr Doktor Kreiss draw himself aloof with meticulous care as
Towahg dashed by, and it occurred to him that perhaps it was as well for
Kreiss that the black one knew so little of what was said.

But aloud he merely said: "You'll have lots of chances to use that
mental endeavor stuff later on, Doctor. But right now what we need to
know is how to get by without any of your laboratories, without text
books or tools, with just our bare hands and with brains that are geared
up to the civilization you mention and don't do us a whole lot of good
here. Better let Towahg show us what he knows."

But Herr Kreiss only shrugged his thin shoulders and wandered off
through this research-man's paradise, where every flower and insect and
stone were calling to him. Chet envied the equanimity with which the man
had accepted his lot, had come to this place and was prepared to spend
his remaining years collecting scientific data that were to him
all-important.

* * * * *

Again the sun sank swiftly. But this time, Chet stretched himself
luxuriously upon the matted grass and turned to stare at the little fire
that burned before the entrance of Diane's shelter. His pocket fireflash
had kindled some dry sticks that burned without smoke.

"We will be a little careful about smoke," Harkness had warned them all.
"No use of broadcasting the news of our being here. We have come a long
way