them too, and when every one had seen everything there was to see, it
was dark, and Limberleg had a real feast ready for them to eat.

She had killed a deer the day before, and so they had broiled venison,
seasoned with sea salt. They had clams steamed with seaweed, and they
had nuts and wild plums.

When they had all stuffed themselves full, Limberleg said to Hawk-Eye:
"Now tell us all about your journey. When you went away, we watched you
from the hill-top until you were a mere speck on the water. We knew
nothing more of you until we heard your shout to-day. There were many
weary days between."

"They were not weary to me," said Hawk-Eye. "I reached the other shore
in safety, and then turned my boat toward the sunset. I kept in the
shallow water near the shore, and followed the coast around the end of
the point of land which we crossed when we came here.

"I knew our river must empty into the big water not far away, and so I
paddled up the first stream I found. I slept in the boat at night. The
first night I was awakened by the howling of wolves. But I had only to
push my boat out into the stream. They would not follow me there.

"For two days I paddled up-stream. The second day I began to see things
that I knew, and on the morning of the third I reached the river path
just as Grannie was coming down for water."

"Yes, yes," cried Grannie. "I thought I was dreaming! The boat
frightened me. I thought Hawk-Eye was dead and that I saw his spirit.
I started to run to the cave."

"Did you think we were all dead?" asked Limberleg.

"Yes," said Grannie. "I thought some cave bear or tiger had got you.
You were always so bold and venturesome. And as for these worthless
ones," she added, patting Firetop on the head, "I didn't know whether
they had gone with you, or had stolen away into the woods and been eaten
by old Sabre-tooth."

"Well, you see," cried Limberleg, laughing, "it pays to be bold and
brave." When she said "bold and brave," she looked right at Hawk-Eye.
She thought he was the boldest and bravest man in the world.

"There aren't any sabre-toothed tigers on this island, and there's
plenty to eat every day. Didn't the others want to come too when you
told them about it?" she said to Hawk-Eye.

"They all wanted to come," Hawk-Eye answered, "but the boat would not
hold so many. So I stayed to show them how to make boats for
themselves. Long Arm and Big Ear and Grey Wolf are all at work o