In a minute, Eudena came hastening to join him, and they went on hand in

hand. He dimly perceived the pain she suffered from the cut and bruised

knee, and chose the easier ways. But they went on all that day, mile

after mile, through wood and thicket, until at last they came to the

chalkland, open grass with rare woods of beech, and the birch growing

near water, and they saw the Wealden mountains nearer, and groups of

horses grazing together. They went circumspectly, keeping always near

thicket and cover, for this was a strange region--even its ways were

strange. Steadily the ground rose, until the chestnut forests spread

wide and blue below them, and the Thames marshes shone silvery, high and

far. They saw no men, for in those days men were still only just come

into this part of the world, and were moving but slowly along the

river-ways. Towards evening they came on the river again, but now it ran

in a gorge, between high cliffs of white chalk that sometimes overhung

it. Down the cliffs was a scrub of birches and there were many birds

there. And high up the cliff was a little shelf by a tree, whereon they

clambered to pass the night.

They had had scarcely any food; it was not the time of year for berries,

and they had no time to go aside to snare or waylay. They tramped in a

hungry weary silence, gnawing at twigs and leaves. But over the surface

of the cliffs were a multitude of snails, and in a bush were the freshly

laid eggs of a little bird, and then Ugh-lomi threw at and killed a

squirrel in a beech-tree, so that at last they fed well. Ugh-lomi

watched during the night, his chin on his knees; and he heard young

Tales of Space and Time