This left his rear entirely7 exposed. The Cave Wolf, a gaunt long-legged brute8 of almost bear-like size, now dashed in and attempted to seize the Mammoth’s hind9 leg. This move might have brought about Hairi’s undoing10 had it succeeded. A moment’s distraction,—a turn of the head would have exposed his neck and shoulder to the two furies in front. But the Wolf’s cunning strategy was met by the prompt action of one whom until this time the Cave Beasts had entirely ignored.
[62]
A squat11, powerful figure suddenly darted12 from behind the Mammoth and faced the Cave Wolf with all teeth bared and eyes flashing like coals of fire from the bottom of two deep pits. It was Pic the Ape Boy, his face distorted with furious rage. Like a flash, he sprang between the Mammoth and Wolf and before the latter could close in, he had seized a jagged rock and raised it threateningly aloft. The huge Wolf snarled15 and gnashed his teeth, but he advanced no farther.
In spite of this diversion, the Mammoth was in a truly desperate plight16. He seemed to have lost all power of resistance. The Hyena now sought to turn the scale by stealing around upon the Ape Boy from behind. The Mammoth observed and gave up all hope. Surrounded by enemies and unable to employ his great weight and strength to any advantage, he raised his head like one drowning and bellowed17 in his dire18 distress19:
“Wulli! Help! Oh Wulli!”
From his refuge in the grotto20, the Rhinoceros21 heard; and the call for aid changed the trend of his thoughts like magic. Hairi, his partner, was being hard pressed by a horde22 of Cave Beasts seeking to destroy him. In an instant, all enmity for the Mammoth fled from his breast. He proceeded to act. With a bound, he cleared the grotto and bore down upon the Cave Beasts in a furious charge,[63] thundering, roaring, squealing24, tail straight out behind and the fire of battle in his eyes.
All heard, saw and felt him coming. The Mammoth groaned25 as he espied26 the strange figure—supposedly some new enemy—speeding across the ledge27; then his heart gave a great leap as Wulli completed his meteoric28 dash and halted on the edge of the terrace with a jolt29 that shook the rock.
His dramatic arrival threw consternation30 into the ranks of the Cave Beasts. The Hyena fled in terror and the Wolf raced down the slope lickety-split with his tail between his legs. Grun Waugh growled31 angrily at the sudden turn of affairs. As he crouched with tail lashing13 from side to side, the eyes of the Rhinoceros fell upon him. Wulli uttered a shrill32 squeal23 and charged with the swiftness of thought. The Cave Lion took one look at the oncoming horn and waited to see no more. With a blood-curdling screech33, he sped along the ledge like a streak34 of yellow light with the Rhinoceros at his heels. For an instant it seemed as though he must surely be impaled35 upon the horn threatening his rear. The fear of such a catastrophe36 lent him wings. A fresh burst of speed and his lead was increased to a more comfortable margin37. All his dignity was cast aside in a frantic38 effort to put the greatest possible space between his hindquarters and the Rhino’s horn. He reached the edge of the terrace and shot down the slope never stopping until all possibility of his being overtaken was beyond the shadow of a doubt.
[64]
The Cave Lion Took One Look—and Waited to See No More
[65]
On seeing the uselessness of further pursuit, Wulli came to a sudden halt. A sedge-tuft protruding39 from a crevice40, chanced to catch his eye and he proceeded to nibble41 it with an air of the utmost unconcern. The battle was over.
The Mammoth now mounted the terrace followed by the Ape Boy. Both gazed at the Rhinoceros in amazement42.
“Owk, owk; wonderful!” the big Elephant bellowed. “Never have I seen anything more wonderful than the way you made Grun Waugh run.”
Wulli said nothing. With most becoming modesty43, he continued to bite at the tuft before him; but he was thinking. In his mind, glowed the spark of an almost forgotten purpose; of wrongs unavenged, as he watched his partner out of one eye. Then with brows contracted and nostrils44 swelling45 ominously46, he turned and advanced upon the Mammoth.
Hairi sensed the approaching storm. His trained eye noted47 the lowered horn and his partner’s determined48 air. He became confused and stood staring like one in a trance, too helpless to move.
Slowly the Rhinoceros advanced until his horn was almost beneath the Mammoth’s chest. One[66] quick upward thrust and the affair would be quickly ended. He paused and Hairi awaited the fatal stroke, his limbs paralyzed with horror.
Suddenly a dark figure sprang between the pair. It was the Ape Boy. His body almost touched the tip of Wulli’s horn.
“Back, pig-beast,” he howled. “Would you dare touch the Mammoth? You have gone mad.”
The Rhinoceros raised his head and retreated a step. The amazement, now shown in every line of his face, was a picture to see.
“You?” he gasped49 and choked.
“Yes, I.”
“Can you; will you fight?” the Rhinoceros demanded eagerly.
“I can and will. You shall see.”
“Good,” Wulli grunted50. “When you are ready, begin.”
“But I have no weapon,” said the Ape Boy. “You have a horn; I nothing. Will you fight fair?”
The Rhinoceros nodded. The youth was making for the grotto when Wulli stopped him.
“That red beast with the hot breath?” he grumbled51. “No; you must fight with something else. I have had enough of its bad smell.”
“I will fight you with ax and dart,” replied the[67] other angrily. “They lie on the cave-floor. Are you afraid?”
Wulli stepped back. Pic entered the grotto and reappeared in a moment bearing in his right hand a flint ax-head bound in a stout52 wooden haft. Several darts53 tipped with sharp-pointed flakes54 were in his left. Such were the Ape Boy’s weapons—the stone-ax and short stabbing spear—and not to be despised when a bold heart and powerful arm were behind them.
He laid the darts on the rock platform and took a position upon the edge of the terrace with ax swung over his right shoulder.
“I am ready; now begin,” and he waited for the Rhinoceros to attack.
Wulli aroused himself with a start. This was to be a duel55 to the death—no light affair,—touch, scratch and both satisfied. Rarely did he so bungle56 in his work. He lowered his horn, squared his legs and then found himself unable to proceed. That Ape Boy was so deadly calm and looked at him so strangely out of his deep-set eyes. Wulli felt sobered, awed57. He would have welcomed violence; but those eyes chilled his marrow58. He made one last effort to lash14 himself into a frenzy59 but it was no use. His eyes sought the ground; his tail hung limp like a wet string.
“Umph,” he grunted; “I will not fight one who[68] must stay on the ground because somebody has pulled off his tail.”
Pic’s eyes opened wide.
“Who says that?” he growled in a hoarse60 voice.
“Grun Waugh—and I say it because it makes you angry. ‘Once you had a tail and jumped about in the trees;’ he said that too.”
Pic was fast losing his temper, a fact which now put the Rhinoceros in the best of humor.
“Ape-beast hiding in a man’s skin,” he sniffed61. “The Lioness said that.”
“Agh! What more?” The Ape Boy’s eyes blazed.
“Umph,” grunted Wulli. “Ask Grun Waugh. He and his pack have gone to the grotto of Sha Pall62. The Wolf told him of a lone63 man who lived there.”
“A lone man? Whoow! Hardly a fair match is four cave-beasts against one lone man.” Pic’s rage softened64 as he thought of a fellow-being set upon by such overwhelming odds65.
“A poor match indeed,” Wulli admitted. “He was sick too—the Man was. The Wolf said so.”
“Sick and alone?”
“Yes and he was blind in one eye. I heard the Wolf say that too.”
“What—blind?” Pic gripped his ax-handle until[69] the wood creaked. “What more did the Wolf say?”
“Nothing more,” Wulli replied. “But the Hyena seemed to know who the man was—an old man with grey hair; a leader of other men. He was asking Grim Waugh’s leave to go and visit the grotto of Sha Pell and pay his respects to the lone man who was old, sick and blind in——”
“Agh, ar-rr-ah-h!” With a hair-raising yell the Ape Boy fairly hurled66 himself from the ledge and shot down the slope leading to the valley. The Mammoth and Rhinoceros stood motionless, speechless with amazement as they watched the flying figure grow smaller and smaller and finally disappear among the clefts67 and boulders68 far below.
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1
mammoth
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| n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的 | |
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crouched
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| v.屈膝，蹲伏( crouch的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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hyena
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| n.土狼，鬣狗 | |
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hovered
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| 鸟( hover的过去式和过去分词 )； 靠近（某事物）； （人）徘徊； 犹豫 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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6
snarling
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的现在分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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7
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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8
brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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9
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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10
undoing
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| n.毁灭的原因，祸根；破坏，毁灭 | |
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11
squat
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| v.蹲坐，蹲下；n.蹲下；adj.矮胖的，粗矮的 | |
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12
darted
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| v.投掷，投射( dart的过去式和过去分词 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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13
lashing
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| n.鞭打；痛斥；大量；许多v.鞭打( lash的现在分词 )；煽动；紧系；怒斥 | |
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14
lash
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| v.系牢；鞭打；猛烈抨击；n.鞭打；眼睫毛 | |
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15
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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16
plight
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| n.困境，境况，誓约，艰难；vt.宣誓，保证，约定 | |
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17
bellowed
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| v.发出吼叫声，咆哮（尤指因痛苦）( bellow的过去式和过去分词 )；（愤怒地）说出（某事），大叫 | |
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18
dire
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| adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的 | |
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19
distress
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| n.苦恼，痛苦，不舒适；不幸；vt.使悲痛 | |
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20
grotto
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| n.洞穴 | |
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21
rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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22
horde
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| n.群众，一大群 | |
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23
squeal
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| v.发出长而尖的声音；n.长而尖的声音 | |
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24
squealing
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| v.长声尖叫，用长而尖锐的声音说( squeal的现在分词 ) | |
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25
groaned
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| v.呻吟( groan的过去式和过去分词 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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26
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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27
ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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28
meteoric
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| adj.流星的，转瞬即逝的，突然的 | |
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29
jolt
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| v.（使）摇动，（使）震动，（使）颠簸 | |
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30
consternation
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| n.大为吃惊，惊骇 | |
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31
growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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32
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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33
screech
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| n./v.尖叫；(发出)刺耳的声音 | |
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34
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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35
impaled
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| 钉在尖桩上( impale的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36
catastrophe
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| n.大灾难，大祸 | |
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37
margin
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| n.页边空白；差额；余地，余裕；边，边缘 | |
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38
frantic
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| adj.狂乱的，错乱的，激昂的 | |
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39
protruding
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| v.（使某物）伸出，（使某物）突出( protrude的现在分词 )；凸 | |
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40
crevice
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| n.(岩石、墙等)裂缝；缺口 | |
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41
nibble
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| n.轻咬，啃；v.一点点地咬，慢慢啃，吹毛求疵 | |
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42
amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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43
modesty
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| n.谦逊，虚心，端庄，稳重，羞怯，朴素 | |
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44
nostrils
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| 鼻孔( nostril的名词复数 ) | |
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45
swelling
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| n.肿胀 | |
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46
ominously
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| adv.恶兆地，不吉利地；预示地 | |
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47
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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48
determined
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| adj.坚定的；有决心的 | |
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49
gasped
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| v.喘气( gasp的过去式和过去分词 )；喘息；倒抽气；很想要 | |
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50
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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51
grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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53
darts
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| n.掷飞镖游戏；飞镖( dart的名词复数 )；急驰，飞奔v.投掷，投射( dart的第三人称单数 )；向前冲，飞奔 | |
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54
flakes
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| 小薄片( flake的名词复数 )； （尤指）碎片； 雪花； 古怪的人 | |
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55
duel
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| n./v.决斗；(双方的)斗争 | |
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56
bungle
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| v.搞糟；n.拙劣的工作 | |
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57
awed
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| adj.充满敬畏的，表示敬畏的v.使敬畏，使惊惧( awe的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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58
marrow
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| n.骨髓；精华；活力 | |
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59
frenzy
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| n.疯狂，狂热，极度的激动 | |
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60
hoarse
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| adj.嘶哑的，沙哑的 | |
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61
sniffed
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| v.以鼻吸气，嗅，闻( sniff的过去式和过去分词 )；抽鼻子（尤指哭泣、患感冒等时出声地用鼻子吸气）；抱怨，不以为然地说 | |
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62
pall
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| v.覆盖，使平淡无味；n.柩衣，棺罩；棺材；帷幕 | |
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63
lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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64
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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65
odds
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| n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别 | |
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66
hurled
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| v.猛投，用力掷( hurl的过去式和过去分词 )；大声叫骂 | |
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67
clefts
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| n.裂缝( cleft的名词复数 )；裂口；cleave的过去式和过去分词；进退维谷 | |
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68
boulders
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| n.卵石( boulder的名词复数 )；巨砾；（受水或天气侵蚀而成的）巨石；漂砾 | |
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