places of
concealment. Here we were free from the attacks of the large land
carnivora; but the smaller flying reptiles, the snakes, leopards, and
panthers were a constant menace, though by no means as much to be
feared as the huge beasts that roamed the surface of the earth.

At the close of the third day Ajor and I were able to converse with
considerable fluency, and it was a great relief to both of us,
especially to Ajor. She now did nothing but ask questions whenever I
would let her, which could not be all the time, as our preservation
depended largely upon the rapidity with which I could gain knowledge of
the geography and customs of Caspak, and accordingly I had to ask
numerous questions myself.

I enjoyed immensely hearing and answering her, so naive were many of
her queries and so filled with wonder was she at the things I told her
of the world beyond the lofty barriers of Caspak; not once did she seem
to doubt me, however marvelous my statements must have seemed; and
doubtless they were the cause of marvel to Ajor, who before had never
dreamed that any life existed beyond Caspak and the life she knew.

Artless though many of her questions were, they evidenced a keen
intellect and a shrewdness which seemed far beyond her years of her
experience. Altogether I was finding my little savage a mighty
interesting and companionable person, and I often thanked the kind fate
that directed the crossing of our paths. From her I learned much of
Caspak, but there still remained the mystery that had proved so
baffling to Bowen Tyler--the total absence of young among the ape, the
semihuman and the human races with which both he and I had come in
contact upon opposite shores of the inland sea. Ajor tried to explain
the matter to me, though it was apparent that she could not conceive
how so natural a condition should demand explanation. She told me that
among the Galus there were a few babies, that she had once been a baby
but that most of her people "came up," as he put it, "cor sva jo," or
literally, "from the beginning"; and as they all did when they used
that phrase, she would wave a broad gesture toward the south.

"For long," she explained, leaning very close to me and whispering the
words into my ear while she cast apprehensive glances about and mostly
skyward, "for long my mother kept me hidden lest the Wieroo, passing
through the air by night, should come and take me away to Oo-oh." And
the child shuddered as