Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-03

1t was during the sixth winter IN OUT
cave ti.at Lop Ear ana / discoVetea
that we were really growing up. troh
the first 1t had been squeeze 10 eet
in through the entrance crevice. Inns
had had its advantages, however III
had prevented the larger folk from tax
ing our cave away from us. Ana IL
was a most desirable cave, the highest
on the bluff, the safest, and in winter
the smallest and warmest.
To show the stage of the mental de-
velopment Of the folk | may state that
il would have been a simple thing Tor
some of them to have driven us out
md enlarged the crevice opening. But
they never thought of it. Lop Ear and
I did not think of it either until our
increasing size compelled US to make
an enlargement. This occurred when
summer was we'll along and we were
fat with better forage. We worked
at the crevice in spells, when the fancy
struck US.
At first we dug the crumbling rocks
away with our fingers, until our nails
got sore. when l accidentally stumbled
upon the idea of using piece of wood
on the rock. This worked we'll; also
II worked woe. One morning early we
| had scratched out Of the wall quite
heap of fragments. l gave the heap
a shove over the lip Of the entrance.
The next moment there came up from
below a howl of rage. There was no
| need to look. We knew the voice only
too well. The rubbish had descended
upon Red Eye.
We crouched down IN the cave In
( CONSERVATION. A minute later he was
at the entrance, peering in at US with
his infamed eyes and raging like Il
demon. But he was too large. He
could not get in to US. Suddenly he
went away. This was suspicious. By
all we knew Of folk nature he should
have remained and had out his rage.
crept to the entrance and peeped
down. I could see him just beginning
to mount the bluff again. In one hand
he carried a long stick. Before l could
divine his plan he was back at the en-
trance and savagely jabbing the stick
in at US.
His thrusts were prodigious. They
could have disemboweled US. We
shrank back against the side walls,
where we we're almost out of range.
But by industrious poking he got us
now and again-cruel, scraping jabs
with the end of the stick that raked
off the hide and hair When we scream
ed with the hurt he roared his salts
faction and jabbed the harder.
| began to grow angry. | had a
temper of my own in those days and
pretty considerable courage, too. al
belt it was largely the courage of the
cornered rat | caught hold of the
stick with my hands. but such was
his strength that he jerked me into the
creyice. He reached for me with his
long arm, and his nails tore my f1esl
as leaped lack from the clutch AM
gained the comparative safety of the
side wall.
lie began pokinC again and caught
me a painful blow On the shoulder
Beyond shivering with fright and vel!
ing when he was hit L0p Ear did moth
Ing. l looked for a stick with which
to jab back. but found only the enc
Of Il branch an inch through and d
foot long. | threw this at Red Eye
1t did no damage. though he howle(
with a sudden increase of rage at my
daring to strike back. He began jab
bling furiously. I found Il fragment
of rock and threw it at him, striking
him on the chest.
This embroidered me. and. besides.
was now as angry as he and had los
all fear. l ripped fragment of rocl
from tho wall Tho r1iaoo nuSt bovf