she could tell it must be far away. But she knew the sound was that of a

man sharpening a flint.

Presently the trees began to thin out, and then came a regiment of

nettles barring the way. She turned aside, and then she came to a fallen

tree that she knew, with a noise of bees about it. And so presently she

was in sight of the knoll, very far off, and the river under it, and the

children and the hippopotami just as they had been yesterday, and the

thin spire of smoke swaying in the morning breeze. Far away by the

river was the cluster of alders where she had hidden. And at the sight

of that the fear of Uya returned, and she crept into a thicket of

bracken, out of which a rabbit scuttled, and lay awhile to watch the

squatting-place.

The men were mostly out of sight, saving Wau, the flint-chopper; and at

that she felt safer. They were away hunting food, no doubt. Some of the

women, too, were down in the stream, stooping intent, seeking mussels,

crayfish, and water-snails, and at the sight of their occupation Eudena

felt hungry. She rose, and ran through the fern, designing to join them.

As she went she heard a voice among the bracken calling softly. She

stopped. Then suddenly she heard a rustle behind her, and turning, saw

Ugh-lomi rising out of the fern. There were streaks of brown blood and

dirt on his face, and his eyes were fierce, and the white stone of Uya,

the white Fire Stone, that none but Uya dared to touch, was in his hand.

In a stride he was beside her, and gripped her arm. He swung her about,

and thrust her before him towards the woods. "Uya," he said, and waved

Tales of Space and Time-1