th and the red bear to instant
flight, and that he had somehow managed to subdue this powerful and
mysterious being into the service of the tribe. Bawr had examined with
deep musing the strange black bite of the Bright One on Grom's club
and spear. And he realized readily enough that with such an ally the
tribe, even in its present state of weakness, would be able to defy
any further invasions of the bow-legged beast-men from the east. There
was a rumor, vague enough but disquieting, of another migration of the
beast-men under way. So there was no time to lose. Bawr gave orders
that the tribe should get together their scanty possessions of food,
skins and weapons, and make a start on the morrow for their new home.

The attempts of the girl, meanwhile, to explain about the fire and
Grom's miraculous subjugation of it to his will, had only spread
terror in the tribe. The dread of this unknown Bright One, which was
plainly capable of devouring them all if Grom should lose control of
it, was more nerve-shaking than their dread of the beast-men.
Moreover, there was the natural reluctance to leave the old,
familiar dwellings for an unknown, distrusted land, confessedly
the haunt of those monstrous beasts which they had most cause to fear.
Then, too, there were not a few in the tribe who professed to think
that the hordes of the Bow-legs were never likely to come that way
again. No wonder, therefore, that there was grumbling, and protest,
and shrill lamentation in the caves; but Bawr being in no mood,
since the defection of Mawg and his party, to tolerate any opposition,
and Grom being now regarded as a dangerous wizard, the preparation
for departure went on as smoothly as if all were of one mind.
Packing was no great matter to the People of the Little Hills, the
richest of whom could transport all his wealth on the back of the
feeblest of his wives. So it came that before the sun marked noon
the whole tribe was on the march, trailing forth from the neck of
the amphitheater at the heels of Grom and A-ya, and picking their way
over the bones of their slain enemies which the vultures and the
jackals had already polished white. Bawr, the Chief, came last,
seeing to it that there were no laggards; and as the tail of the
straggling procession left the pass he climbed swiftly to the
nearest pinnacle of rock to take observation. He marked Grom and
the girl, the tribe strung out dejectedly behind them, winding off
to the left along t