Scattered about it were the gnawed bones of Muta, the boar--already
picked clean by hordes of ants.

At first, Vulcar's men had clamored to dash ahead in hot pursuit. But
the hawk-faced leader decided against it, saying a short rest and full
bellies would help them to fight better than if they were worn and
hungry.

"But if we wait," argued one, "the Hairy Men may reach their caves. We
cannot fight against an entire tribe of them."

Vulcar shook his head. "Had they been close to their caves," he pointed
out, "they would not have stopped to eat and rest. No; we will stop for
a little while and eat of the food we carry; then we can go on even more
quickly than before.

"Five of us will go slightly ahead of the others. In case the Hairy Men
find that many are following them they may run away. If they see only
five, however, they are sure to attack. Then the balance of us will fall
upon them!"

There was no gainsaying the soundness of Vulcar's plan. Even the most
action-eager warrior saw its beauty. And so the men dropped to the
ground beside the river, ate of the cured strips of meat carried in
their shoulder pouches, and drank from the river.

After a short rest period, Vulcar called them together and gave the word
that began the last stage of the journey.

* * * * *

While only a short distance ahead, Urb and his four companions plodded
slowly on toward their distant homes.

Darkness was not far in the offing, and Urb was inwardly debating on
ordering the men to the trees for the night, when Tolb, at the rear of
the column, voiced a low note that arrested the others in mid-stride.
Turning as one, the five stood motionless, their ears, keen as those of
Sadu, himself, cocked to catch and interpret what Tolb had heard.

Urb, wise old campaigner, was first to identify the sounds. "Men!" he
grunted. "The hairless ones! Hide."

Silently each Neanderthal man stepped behind a trunk of one of the trees
lining the path. Mighty clubs swung ready in steel fingers; narrowed
eyes beneath overhanging brows scanned the open ground of the trail. The
minutes lengthened....

And then five white-tuniced figures appeared at the far end of the path
and came on at a half-trot. Slung across their shoulders were short
bows; at their backs hung arrow-filled containers, and in their right
hands dangled clubs, smaller than those used by the Neanderthals but
still formidable weapons.

Not until the gro