f tossing manes and
horns. The earth trembled beneath their tread and the air was filled
with their bellowing.

When the bison reached the ford, the foremost creatures stopped to
drink. But the solid mass, pressing on from the rear, crowded them up
the river. Soon the ford was packed with struggling beasts. Some tried
to escape by swimming up the river. Others swam down the stream. And
still the solid mass from the rear kept crowding on and on.

At length the herd divided. One part followed the river trail,
while the other went up the narrow valley. Whenever a herd reached a
branching valley, a big bison led off a small herd. This happened many
a time. And at the close of the day there was not a little valley in
the surrounding country that did not have a herd of two or three
hundred bison.

#THINGS TO DO#

_Play you are a herd of bison, and show how the herd marched. Show
how it divided. Show how you think it would come together again._

_Show in your sand-box where Straightshaft stood while he watched.
Show the trails the bison followed._

_Think of the herd as it galloped up the river trail. Draw the
picture._

_Make such a sign as you think Straightshaft made._

_Plan a bison dance._

VIII

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

If you were to hunt bison, what would you want to know about them?

In what ways can bison notice signs of danger? In what ways can
they help one another?

Watch animals, and see if they give signs to one another.

What weapons do you think the Cave-men would take when they went to
hunt the bison? How could the Cave-men help one another in hunting?
How might one man hinder the others?

[Illustration: "_At the close of the day there was not a little valley
in the surrounding country that did not have a herd of two or three
hundred bison._"]

_The First Bison Hunt of the Season_

And now the great herd of bison had come, and the Cave-men were eager
to hunt them. While they were getting ready to start they kept up this
merry song:--

_The bison have come;_
_The bison have come;_
_Now for the chase!_
_Now for the chase!_
_Bring axes and spears;_
_Bring axes and spears;_
_Now for the chase!_
_Now for the chase!_

When Scarface climbed the cliff he saw three herds of bison. The first
was feeding in an open space; the second was on a hillside, and the
third was in a na