,,*APT] ,,XV

,LOP-,E> GOT M>RI$4 ,X 0 ! SECOND W9T]
  AF
\R ADV5TURE-J\RNEY1 & X 0 MO/ UNEXPECT$4
  ,HE
GAVE ME NO W>N+4 ,! F/ ,I KNEW 0 "O
  TWILI<T
:5 ,I CLIMB$ ! CLIFF 6\R CAVE4 ,I
  SQUEEZ$ 9TO
! 5TR.E & "! ,I /OPP$4 ,"! 0 NO ROOM
= ME4 ,LOP-,E> & 8 MATE 7 9 POSSES.N1 &
%E 0 N"O O!R ?AN MY SI/]1 ! DAU<T] ( MY
/EP-"F1 ! ,*ATT]]4










,I TRI$ 6=CE MY WAY IN4 ,"! 0 SPACE ONLY
  =
TWO1 & T SPACE 0 ALR O3UPI$4 ,AL1 !Y
_H ME AT A 4ADVANTAGE1 &1 :AT (! SCRAT*+
& HAIR-PULL+ ,I RCVD1 ,I 0 GLAD 6RETR1T4
  ,I
SLEPT T NI<T1 &= _M NI<TS1 9 !
3NECT+ PASSAGE (! D\#-CAVE4 ,F MY
EXP]I;E X SEEM$ R1SONABLY SAFE4 ,Z ! TWO
  ,FOLK
_H DODG$ OLD ,SAB]-,TOO?1 & Z ,I _H
  DODG$
,R$-,EYE1 S X SEEM$ 6ME T ,I CD DODGE !
HUNT+ ANIMALS 0GO+ BACK & =? 2T ! TWO
CAVES4










,I _H =GOTT5 ! WILD DOGS4 ,!Y 7 SMALL 5
6G "? ANY PASSAGE T ,I CD SQUEEZE "?4
,"O NI<T !Y NOS$ ME \4 ,_H !Y 5T]$ BO?
CAVES AT ! SAME "T !Y WD H GOT ME4 ,Z X
WAS1 FOLL[$ 0"S ( !M "? ! PASSAGE1 ,I
DA%$ \ ! M\? (! O!R CAVE4 ,\TSIDE 7
! RE/ (! WILD DOGS4 ,!Y SPRANG = ME Z ,I
SPRANG =! CLIFF-WALL & 2GAN 6CLIMB4 ,"O
  (
!M1 A L1N & HUNGRY BRUTE1 CAU<T ME 9
  MID-L1P4
,8 TEE? SANK 96MY ?I<-MUSCLES1 & HE
  NE>LY
DRA7$ ME BACK4 ,HE HELD ON1 B ,I MADE NO
  EF=T TO
4LODGE HM1 DEVOT+ MY :OLE EF=T 6CLIMB+ \
( R1* (! RE/ (! BRUTES4








,N UNTIL ,I 0 SAFE F !M DID ,I TURN MY
  ATT5;N
6T LIVE AGONY ON MY ?I<4 ,& !N1 A DOZ5
  FEET
ABV ! SNAPP+ PACK T L1P$ & SCRAM#D
AG/ ! WALL & FELL BACK1 ,I GOT ! DOG 0!
?ROAT & SL[LY ?ROTTL$ HM4 ,I 0 A L;G "T
DO+ X4 ,HE CLAW$ & RIPP$ MY HAIR & HIDE
  )
8 H9D-PAWS1 & "E HE J]K$ & LUNG$ ) 8
WEI<T 6DRAG ME F ! WALL4

,AT LA/ 8 TEE? OP5$ & REL1S$ MY TORN
  FLE%4 ,I
C>RI$ 8 BODY UP ! CLIFF ) ME1 & P]*$ \
! NI<T 9 ! 5TR.E ( MY OLD CAVE1 ":9 7
,LOP-,E> & MY SI/]4 ,B F/ ,I _H 65DURE A
/ORM ( ABUSE F ! >\S$ HORDE = 2+ !
CAUSE (! 4TURB.E4 ,I _H MY REV5GE4 ,F "T
6"T1 Z ! NOISE (! PACK 2L EAS$ D[N1 ,I
DROPP$ A ROCK & />T$ X UP AG4 ,":^U1
F ALL >.D1 ! ABUSE (! EXASP]AT$ ,FOLK
2GAN AFRE%4 ,9 ! MORN+ ,I %>$ ! DOG )
,LOP-,E> & 8 WIFE1 &= S"EAL "DS ! ?REE (
U 7 NEI VEGET>IANS NOR FRUIT>IANS4
,LOP-,E>'S M>RIAGE 0 N A HAPPY "O1 &!
3SOL,N AB X IS T X DID N LA/ V L;G4
,NEI HE NOR ,I 0 HAPPY DUR+ T P]IOD4 ,I
  0
L"OLY4 ,I SU6]$ ! 9CONV5I;E ( 2+ CA/ \
( MY SAFE LL CAVE1 & "SH[ ,I DID N MAKE
  X
UP ) ANY O!R (! "Y MALES4 ,I SUPPOSE MY
L;G-3T9U$ *UMM+ ) ,LOP-,E> _H 2COME A
HABIT4

,I MI<T H M>RI$1 X IS TRUE2 & MO/ LIKELY
  ,I
%D H M>RI$ _H X N BE5 =! DE>? (
FEMALES 9 ! HORDE4 ,? DE>?1 X IS FAIR TO
ASSUME1 0 CAUS$ 0! EXORBIT.E ( ,R$-,EYE1
  &
X ILLU/RATES ! M5ACE HE 0 6! EXI/;E (
! HORDE4 ,!N "! 0 ! ,SWIFT ,"O1 :OM ,I
  _H
N =GOTT54




,AT ANY RATE1 DUR+ ! P]IOD ( ,LOP-,E>'S
  M>RIAGE ,I
KNOCK$ AB F PILL> 6PO/1 9 DANG] E
NI<T T ,I SLEPT1 & N"E -=TA#4 ,"O (!
,FOLK DI$1 & 8 WID[ 0 TAK5 96! CAVE (
ANO!R "O (! ,FOLK4 ,I TOOK POSSES.N (!
AB&ON$ CAVE1 B X 0 WIDE-M\!D1 & AF
,R$-,EYE NE>LY TRAPP$ ME 9 X "O "D1 ,I
  RETURN$ TO
SLEEP+ 9 ! PASSAGE (! D\#-CAVE4 ,DUR+ !
SUMM]1 H["E1 ,I US$ 6/AY AWAY F ! CAVES
  =
WEEKS1 SLEEP+ 9 A TREE-%ELT] ,I MADE NE>
  ! M\?
(! SL\<4

,I H SD T ,LOP-,E> 0 N HAPPY4 ,MY SI/] 0
! DAU<T] (! ,*ATT]]1 & %E MADE ,LOP-
  ,E>'S
LIFE MIS]A# = HM4 ,9 NO O!R CAVE 0 "! S
M* SQUA2L+ & BICK]+4 ,IF ,R$-,EYE 0 A
,BLUEBE>D1 ,LOP-,E> 0 H5-PECK$2 & ,I
  IMAG9E T
,R$-,EYE 0 TOO %REWD "E 6COVET ,LOP-
  ,E>'S WIFE4
,=TUNATELY = ,LOP-,E>1 %E DI$4 ,AN
  UNUSUAL ?+
HAPP5$ T SUMM]4 ,LATE1 ALM AT ! 5D ( X1
  A
SECOND CROP (! /R+Y-ROOT$ C>ROTS SPRANG
  UP4
,^! UNEXPECT$ SECOND-CROP ROOTS 7 "Y &
  JUICY

& T5D]1 &= "S "T ! C>ROT-PAT* 0 !
FAVORITE FE$+-PLACE (! HORDE4 ,"O MORN+1
E>LY1 S"EAL SCORE ( U 7 "! MAK+ \R
BR1KFA/4 ,ON "O SIDE ( ME 0 ! ,HAIR.S
  ,"O4
,2Y HM 7 8 "F & SON1 OLD ,M>R[-,B"O &
,L;G-,LIP4 ,ON ! O!R SIDE ( ME 7 MY SI/]
  &
,LOP-,E>1 %E 2+ NEXT 6ME4







,"! 0 NO W>N+4 ,ON ! SU451 BO? ! ,HAIR.S
,"O & MY SI/] SPRANG & SCR1M$4 ,AT !
  SAME
9/ANT ,I HE>D ! ?UD (! >R[S T TRANSFIX$
!M4 ,! NEXT 9/ANT !Y 7 D[N ON ! GR.D1
FL.D]+ & GASP+1 &! RE/ ( U 7
/AMP$+ =! TREES4 ,AN >R[ DROVE PA/ ME &
5T]$ ! GR.D1 XS F1!R$ %AFT VIBRAT+ &
OSCILLAT+ F ! IMPACT ( XS >RE/$ FLI<T4
  ,I
REMEMB] CLE>LY H[ ,I SW]V$ Z ,I RAN1 6G
  PA/ X1
& T ,I GAVE X A NE$.SLY WIDE B]?4 ,I M/
H %I$ AT X Z A HORSE %IES AT AN OBJECT X
FE>S4










,LOP-,E> TOOK A SMA%+ FALL Z HE RAN 2S
  ME4 ,AN
>R[ _H DRIV5 "? ! CALF ( 8 LEG &
TRIPP$ HM4 ,HE TRI$ 6RUN1 B 0 TRIPP$ &
?R[N 0X A SECOND "T4 ,HE SAT UP1 CR\*+1
TREMBL+ ) FE>1 & CALL$ 6ME PL1D+LY4 ,I
DA%$ BACK4 ,HE %[$ ME ! >R[4 ,I CAU<T
  HOLD (
X 6PULL X \1 B ! 3SEQU5T HURT MADE HM
SEIZE MY H& & /OP ME4 ,A FLY+ >R[ PASS$
2T U4 ,ANO!R /RUCK A ROCK1 SPL9T]$1 &
FELL 6! GR.D4 ,? 0 TOO M*4 ,I PULL$1
SU45LY1 ) ALL MY MI<T4 ,LOP-,E> SCR1M$ Z
  !
>R[ CAME \1 & /RUCK AT ME ANGRILY4 ,B !
  NEXT
MO;T WE 7 9 FULL FLI<T AG4








,I LOOK$ BACK4 ,OLD ,M>R[-,B"O1 DES]T$ &
  F>
2H1 0 TOTT]+ SIL5TLY AL;G 9 8 H&ICAPP$
RACE ) D1?4 ,"S"TS HE ALM FELL1 & ONCE
  HE
DID FALL2 B NO M >R[S 7 -+4 ,HE SCRAM#D
W1KLY 6HIS FEET4 ,AGE BURD5$ HM H1VILY1
  B HE
DID N WANT 6DIE4 ,! ?REE ,FIRE-,M51 :O 7
  N[
RUNN+ =W>D F _! =E/ AMBU%1 CD EASILY
H GOT HM1 B !Y DID N TRY4 ,P]H HE 0 TOO
OLD & T\<4 ,B !Y DID WANT ! ,HAIR.S ,"O
  &
MY SI/]1 = Z ,I LOOK$ BACK F ! TREES ,I
  CD
SEE ! ,FIRE-,M5 B1T+ 9 _! H1DS ) ROCKS4
,"O (! ,FIRE-,M5 0 ! WIZ5$ OLD HUNT] :O
LIMP$4






,WE W5T ON "? ! TREES T[>D ! CAVES--AN
EXCIT$ & 4ORD]LY MOB T DROVE 2F X TO
_! HOLES ALL ! SMALL LIFE (! =E/1 & T
SET ! BLUE-JAYS SCR1M+ IMPUD5TLY4 ,N[ T
  "!
0 NO IMM DANG]1 ,L;G-,LIP WAIT$ = 8
GR&-"F1 ,M>R[-,B"O2 &)! GAP (A
G5],N 2T !M1 ! OLD FELL[ &! Y\?
BR"\ UP \R RE>4

,& S X 0 T ,LOP-,E> 2CAME A BA*ELOR ONCE
  M4
,T NI<T ,I SLEPT ) HM 9 ! OLD CAVE1 & \R
OLD LIFE ( *UMM+ 2GAN AG4 ,! LOSS ( 8
  MATE
SEEM$ 6CAUSE HM NO GRIEF4 ,AT L1/ HE %[$
  NO
SIGNS ( X1 NOR ( NE$ = H]4 ,X 0 ! W.D 9
8 LEG T SEEM$ 6BO!R HM1 & X 0 ALL (A
WEEK 2F HE GOT BACK AG 6HIS OLD SPRY;S4





,M>R[-,B"O 0 ! ONLY OLD MEMB] 9 ! HORDE4
,"S"TS1 ON LOOK+ BACK ^U HM1 :5 ! VI.N (
HM IS MO/ CLE>1 ,I NOTE A /RIK+
  RESEMBL.E
2T HM &! "F ( MY "F'S G>D5]4
,! G>D5]'S "F 0 V OLD1 V WR9KL$ &
)]$2 &= ALL ! _W1 :5 HE PE]$ "?
8 T9Y1 BLE>Y EYES & MUM#D ) 8 TOO?.S
GUMS1 HE LOOK$ & ACT$ L OLD ,M>R[-,B"O4
  ,?
RESEMBL.E1 Z A *1 US$ 6F"R5 ME4 ,I ALW
RAN :5 ,I SAW ! OLD MAN TOTT]+ AL;G ON 8
  TWO
CANES4 ,OLD ,M>R[-,B"O EV5 _H A BIT (
  SP>SE &
/RA7LY :ITE BE>D T SEEM$ ID5TICAL )!
:ISK]S (! OLD MAN4








,Z ,I H SD1 ,M>R[-,B"O 0 ! ONLY OLD
  MEMB] (
! HORDE4 ,HE 0 AN EXCEP;N4 ,! ,FOLK N"E
  LIV$
6OLD AGE4 ,MI4LE AGE 0 FAIRLY R>E4 ,D1?
  BY
VIOL;E 0 ! -MON WAY ( D1?4 ,!Y DI$ Z MY
"F _H DI$1 Z ,BROK5-,TOO? _H DI$1 Z MY
  SI/]
&! ,HAIR.S ,"O _H J DI$--ABRUPTLY &
BRUT,Y1 9 ! FULL POSSES.N ( _!
  FACULTIES1 9
! FULL SW+ & RU% ( LIFE4 ,NATURAL D1?8
  ,TO
DIE VIOL5TLY 0 ! NATURAL WAY ( DY+ 9 ^?
"DS4









,NO "O DI$ ( OLD AGE AM;G ! ,FOLK4 ,I
  N"E KNEW (
A CASE4 ,EV5 ,M>R[-,B"O DID N DIE T WAY1
  & HE
0 ! ONLY "O 9 MY G5],N :O _H ! *.E4
,A BAD RIPPL+1 ANY S]I\S A3ID5TAL OR
  TEMPOR>Y
IMPAIR;T (! FACULTIES1 M1NT SWIFT D1?4
  ,Z A
RULE1 ^! D1?S 7 N WIT;S$4

,MEMB]S (! HORDE SIMPLY DROPP$ \ ( SI<T4
  ,!Y
LEFT ! CAVES 9 ! MORN+1 & !Y N"E CAME

BACK4 ,!Y 4APPE>$--96! RAV5\S MAWS (!
HUNT+ CR1TURES4








,? 9ROAD (! ,FIRE ,P ON ! C>ROT-PAT* 0
! 2G9N+ (! 5D1 ?\< WE DID N "K X4
,! HUNT]S (! ,FIRE ,P 2GAN 6APPE> M
FREQU5TLY Z ! "T W5T BY4 ,!Y CAME 9 TWOS
  &
?REES1 CREEP+ SIL5TLY "? ! =E/1 )
_! FLY+ >R[S A# 6ANNIHILATE 4T.E &
BR+ D[N PREY F ! TOP (! L(TIE/ TREE
)\T !MVS CLIMB+ 96X4 ,! B[ & >R[
0 L AN ENORM\S EXT5.N ( _! L1P+ &
/RIK+ MUSCLES1 S T1 VIRTU,Y1 !Y CD L1P
& KILL AT A HUNDR$ FEET & M4 ,? MADE !M
  F>
M T]RI# ?AN ,SAB]-,TOO? HMF4 ,& !N !Y
7 V WISE4 ,!Y _H SPEE* T 5A#D !M M
E6ECTIVELY 6R1SON1 & 9 A4I;N !Y "U/OOD
COOP],N4








,WE ,FOLK CAME 6BE V CIRCUMSPECT :5 WE 7
  9 !
=E/4 ,WE 7 M AL]T & VIGILANT & TIMID4
  ,NO
L;G] 7 ! TREES A PROTEC;N 6BE RELI$ ^U4
,NO L;G] CD WE P]* ON A BRAN* & LAU< D[N
  AT
\R C>NIVOR\S 5EMIES ON ! GR.D4 ,! ,FIRE
  ,P
7 C>NIVOR\S1 ) CLAWS & FANGS A HUNDR$
  FEET
L;G1 ! MO/ T]RI# ( ALL ! HUNT+ ANIMALS T
RANG$ ! PRIMEVAL _W4












,"O MORN+1 2F ! ,FOLK _H 4P]S$ 6!
=E/1 "! 0 A PANIC AM;G ! WAT]-C>RI]S &
^? :O _H G"O D[N 6! RIV] 6DR9K4 ,!
:OLE HORDE FL$ 6! CAVES4 ,X 0 \R HABIT1
  AT
S* "TS1 6FLEE F/ & 9VE/IGATE AFW4 ,WE
WAIT$ 9 ! M\?S ( \R CAVES & WAT*$4 ,AF
"S "T A ,FIRE-,MAN /EPP$ CAUTI\SLY 96!
  OP5
SPACE4 ,X 0 ! LL WIZ5$ OLD HUNT]4 ,HE
  /OOD
=A L;G "T & WAT*$ U1 LOOK+ \R CAVES &
! CLIFF-WALL UP & D[N4 ,HE DESC5D$ "O (!
RUN-WAYS 6A DR9K+-PLACE1 RETURN+ A FEW
  M9UTES
LAT] 0ANO!R RUN-WAY4 ,AG HE /OOD & WAT*$
U C>E;LLY1 =A L;G "T4 ,!N HE TURN$ ON 8
HEEL & LIMP$ 96! =E/1 L1V+ U CALL+
QU]UL\SLY & PLA9TIVELY 6"O ANO!R F !
CAVE-M\?S4