Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-05-13

paused to point at the far shore and
resumed his padding, at the same time
uttering loud and encoura ging cries. ]
cally. The swift current caught US,
flung US toward the south shore, but
before we could make landing flung
Us back toward the north shore.
Here arose dissension. Seeing the
north shore so near | began TO paddle
for it. Lop Ear tried to paddle for the
south shore. The logs swung around
in circles and We got nowhere, and all
the time the forest was flashing past
as we drifted down the stream. We
could not fight. We knew better than
to let go the grips of hands and feet
that held the logs together. But we
chartered and abused each other with
our tongues until the current flung US
toward the south bank again. That
was now the nearest goal, and together
and amicably we padded for it. We
landed in an eddy and climbed directly
into the trees to reconnoiter.
1t was not until the night of our first
day on the south bank OF the river that
we discovered the Fire People. What
must have been band of wandering
hunters went into camp not far from
the tree i'll which Lop Ear and I had
elected to rOost for the night. The
voices Of the Fire People at first alarm
nd hrr- lotn WIN bo1
come, we were attracted by the fire.
We crept cautiously and silently from
tree to tree till we got good view of
the scene.
In an open space among the trees
near to the river the fire was burning
About 1t were half a dozen fire men
Lop Ear clutched me suddenly and
could feel him tremble. looked more
closely and saw the WiZened little ole
hunter who had shot Broken Tooth ou
of the tree years before When he go
up and walked about. throwing fresl
wood upon the fire. | saw that BIZ
limped with his crippled leg. What
ever it was. it was a permanent in
jury. He seemed more dried up ant
wiZened than ever and the hair on hi
face was quite gray.
The other hunters were young men
! noted. lying near them on the ground
their bows and arrows. and | knev
the weapons for what they were. TIL
Fire Men wore animal skins aroun
their waists and across their shou
ders. Their arms and legs, however
We're bare, and they wore no footseal
As I have Sid before they were no
quite so Hairy as We of the folk. The
did net have large heads. and betwee
~ them and the folk there was very lii
lie difference in the degree Of the Sian
Of the head back from the eyes.
They We're less stopped than we, les
springy in their movements. Thei
backbones and hips and knee joint
seemed more rigid. Their arms wer
not so long as ours either, and | di
not notice that they ever balance
themselves when they walked by touch
ing the ground on either side wit
their hands; also their muscles wer
more rounded and symmetrical tina
ours. and their faces were more pleas
ing. Their nose orifces opened dowr
ward; likewise the bridges of thei
noses were more developed and did nc
look SO squat nor crushed as ours
Their lips were less fabby and per
dent, and their eyeteeth did not loo
so much like fangs However, the
were quite as thin hipped as we an
did not weigh much more Take it a
in all, they were less different from l,
than were we from the Tree People
Certainly all three kinds were related
and not so remotely related at that.
The fire around which they sat wa
especially attractive. Lop Ear and
sat for hours watching the flames an
smoke. 1t was most fascinating whe
fresh fuel was thrown on and shower
of sparks were flying upward I wan
ed TO come closer and look at the fir,
but there was no way. We wer
crouching in the forks Of a tree on th
edge Of the open space, and we di
not dare run the risk of being discoy
cred.
The Firs Men squatted around tn
fire and slept with their heads bowe
forward on their knees They did NJ
sleep soundly. Their ears twitched /
their sleep, and they were restles.
Every little while one or another &c
up and threw more wood upon the fir,
About the circle of light in the fores
IN the darkness beyond, roamed hun
ing animals. Lop Ear and could te
them by their sounds. There wer
wild dogs and a hyena, and for a tim
there were great yelping and snarlin
that awakened on the instant tn
whole circle of sleeping Fire Men.
Once lion and a lioness stood b,
meath our tree and gazed out wit
bristling hair and blinking eyes. I'll
lion licked his chops and was neryor
with eagerness. as If he wanted to =
forward and make a meal But IL
lioness was more cautious 1t WIS
she that discovered US, and the pa
stood and looked up at us silentl
with twitching. seeming nostril
Then they growied. looked once aga
at the fire and turned away into II
forest.
For a much longer time Lop Ear an
remained and watched. Now ar
again we could hear the crashing
heavy bodies in the thickets and u
derbrush, and from the darkness
the other side, across the circle, "
could see eyes cleaning in the fr
light. In the distance We heard nc
roar and from far off came the Screa