But Pic had vanished and there appeared no clue pointing to where he had gone. Cave-men rarely roamed abroad during the freezing weather but kept to their caves, large numbers of which were to be found in the cliffs which lined the valleys of the Vézère and its tributary4 streams.
Neither the Mammoth nor Rhinoceros ever entered these dark holes for their own comfort. They cherished a violent dislike for any enclosure suggesting prison walls and therefore, kept in the open country for which—with their weather-proof garments—they were well adapted. But in this[258] particular instance, they made a point of peering into every opening they saw, in order to determine by eye or nostril5, what manner of creature was contained therein.
As a rule, the grottoes or shallow caves were occupied by human beings all huddled7 together, trying to keep warm. The sudden appearance of a mammoth and rhinoceros at the entrances of their dwellings8, struck terror in the hearts of the wretched inmates9. But the two great beasts were peaceably inclined. Invariably they withdrew as gracefully10 as possible, after assuring themselves that the one they sought was not among those present. Day after day, week after week, they tramped about through the snow, carefully examining all caves which smelled of smoke—a sign of human occupancy—but none of them harbored their friend, the Ape Boy.
Spring came at last; and still no sign of him. The pair began to feel anxious. They travelled and searched over wide areas of country and meanwhile the slowly rising temperature warned them to begin preparing for a journey to some more congenial climate. “We must soon be departing for the cool country,” said the Mammoth one morning. “It appears as though we would have to leave again without him.”
“We can at least search the valley as we go,”[259] Wulli suggested. “If we fail to find him, we can return and search again before the cool weather sets in.”
So the two cronies proceeded leisurely11 up the Vézère, examining every nook and cranny as they went. The Cave-men had by this time, abandoned their winter quarters for the rock-shelters and open country. The two animals passed several groups of them but without catching12 a glimpse of the particular one they sought.
At last the great Rock of Moustier rose before them. They were plodding13 along its base when the Mammoth came to a sudden halt and glanced above him.
“Here is his old home,” he said. “He may be there now. We can climb up and see.”
The Rhinoceros offered no objections; so the pair ascended14 to the middle terrace,—not that they expected to find Pic there; but they could take comfort at least in gazing once more upon a spot fraught15 with so many pleasant associations. Imagine their surprise when as their heads rose to a level with the rock-platform, the first thing they saw was the Ape Boy himself, squatting16 on the ledge17 fronting the grotto6. He was doing just as he had been doing when the two animals first called upon him—cracking rocks. The ledge was thickly strewn with chips, freshly-broken flakes18 and lumps of flint.[260] Hairi and Wulli were so overcome by this unexpected sight, they could only stand and stare.
At that moment, Pic glanced up from his work and saw the two heads peeking19 over the edge of the terrace. His look of sudden surprise changed as quickly to a broad grin which displayed nearly every tooth in his head.
“Where did you two come from?” he asked as the pair clambered up to where he sat. “I have not seen you for a very long time.”
“We are leaving for the cool country,” the Mammoth explained. “You will join us, of course.”
“No, I am not going,” Pic declared. “Why should I? This is my home”; and he pointed20 to the grotto.
“Not going?” the Mammoth repeated in a hollow voice. “Are we to understand that you refuse to join Wulli and me—your only friends?”
“Agh, it is so,” Pic replied in tones of genuine regret; “But I have much work to do, and—there are other reasons. Things have changed since we were last together. I cannot go with you, nor would I if I could.”
Pic was visibly embarrassed. He kept his eyes on the ground and seemed loth to raise them. Hairi and Wulli looked at each other in amazement21. Some strange influence had come over their former companion. His care-free recklessness was gone[261] and he spoke22 in a way they could not understand.
“It is you who have changed,” said the Mammoth. “Wulli, I, everything else is the same as it has always been. Every hair on my body is as it was; not one more nor less.”
Pic glanced up quickly.
“Well said,” he replied. “I have changed and you have not. Agh, you cannot understand. No longer do I have idle moments. All of my time must now be given to making weapons.”
“What are your other reasons?” asked Wulli. “I do not think much of the first one.”
Pic looked thoughtfully at the pair, then turned and glanced behind him. Then without replying, he arose and strode to the grotto. He disappeared within, but in a moment came out again with a bundle in his arms—a small bundle wrapped in a badger-skin. He bore it with the greatest care, lifting his feet high to avoid stumbling on the uneven23 rock-floor. Several steps carefully chosen and he stood directly beneath the giant Mammoth’s head.
Hairi and Wulli watched these strange actions in silence. Their attention was centered on the mysterious parcel which Pic carried. It was a round object covered with fuzz, but there appeared to be more of it beneath the badger-hide. The two animals eyed it curiously24 while Pic looked on, his[262] mouth gradually expanding in a broad grin at their puzzled expressions.
“Is it a pine-cone?” the Mammoth asked.
“Agh! you see only part of it,” Pic chuckled25, as he threw back a fold of the badger-skin; “And alive too. Speak softly or you will awaken26 it.”
“Alive? Then it must be an animal,” the Mammoth whispered; “And something new. I never saw one like it before.”
“Where did you get it?” Wulli asked.
“I have had it for some time,” Pic replied. “You surely must know what it is.”
Both animals took a long, careful look.
“Did it come from this part of the country?” Hairi inquired.
Pic nodded and smiled.
“Wood-chuck.” The Mammoth made this announcement after a moment of deep reflection.
“Not enough hair,” said Wulli. “It is a boar—a young one.”
“A young one did you say?” inquired Pic.
“Yes, a young boar.”
“Bah!” Pic scowled27 and bit his lips angrily.
The Rhinoceros shrank back at being thus rebuked28. He felt cheap.
“This is a man-child,” snapped Pic, unable to hold his patience a moment longer. “Some day it will grow to be big and strong like me.”
[263]
For a moment, Hairi and Wulli were overwhelmed by this astounding29 bit of news.
“I believe he is right,” the Mammoth whispered to his partner. “Who would have thought of such a thing? Where did you get this—er calf30?” he asked Pic.
“Child, you mean,” the latter sternly corrected. “It belongs to me. It is mine.”
“We will not dispute that,” snorted Wulli. “You have it and you may keep it. But where did you get it.”
Pic seemed bewildered for a moment, then chuckled gleefully; “I am its father. You two talk and act as though you had no sense at all.”
The Mammoth breathed a deep sigh of relief.
“And so this is what is holding you back. I feared it was something serious. Let the poor little thing go and come along with us.”
Pic frowned. “No,” he replied. “I would not leave it alone. It would starve to death.”
Hairi pondered. He was not heartless. Young animals soon learned to take care of themselves as far as he knew; however this might be an exceptional case.
“Bring it with you,” he said. “I have no objections. Have you, Wulli?”
The Rhinoceros nodded his approval, after due reflection.
[264]
“It will soon be able to run around and look after itself,” he sniffed31. “What an odd little thing! Does it ever make a noise or show that it is alive?”
At that moment, the infant yawned and began turning its head this way and that with mouth all puckered32 up. Hairi and Wulli shuffled33 closer and held their breaths. The small creature’s forehead wrinkled. It was preparing to exercise its lungs. At these signs of approaching storm, Pic looked anxiously towards the grotto. “It is hungry,” he said.
The infant’s features relaxed at sound of his voice. The deep-set eyes opened. They caught sight of the Mammoth’s gleaming tusks34. The eyes opened wider and stared in childish wonder. A tiny hand thrust itself from beneath the badger-skin. It reached upwards35 towards the giant head; and then—the baby smiled. Hairi trembled from head to foot. In the face of such assurance, he was at a loss how to act.
“What is it doing?” he asked in an awed37 whisper.
“Your tusks; they please him,” the proud father answered. “He wants to play with them.”
The great Mammoth became deeply impressed. Small animals were usually afraid of him. The idea of playing with such a tiny mite38, was most amusing. He lowered his trunk and curled its flexible tip coyly about the baby’s arm—a touch so[265] gentle that it would not have ruffled39 a beetle’s wing.
As Pic saw his child in the Mammoth’s grasp, he involuntarily shrank back. Hairi released his hold, whereupon the infant raised both arms and squalled loudly. Its fun was spoiled.
“What a queer noise,” the Rhinoceros sniffed. “It yells just like a bobcat.”
At the sound of his voice, the youngster ceased bawling40 and turned upon him with open mouth and staring eyes. The latter centered themselves upon the shining horn which stood upright on the Rhino’s nose. As Wulli became conscious of the publicity41 centered upon his own person, he coughed nervously42 and strove to assume an air of indifference43. The big eyes continued to stare. The Rhinoceros smirked44, lowered his eyes to the ground and pretended to be deeply absorbed in the movements of a small bug45 which was scurrying46 across the rock beneath his chin.
At that moment, a new actor appeared upon the scene—a woman, coming from a cleft47 in the rock. She wore a short skirt of deer-skin. A clam-shell dangled48 from a rawhide49 cord about her neck. At sight of the Mammoth and Rhinoceros, she uttered a cry of fear and retreated a few steps but as she espied50 Pic with the infant in his arms, she bounded forward again and bared her teeth at the two now thoroughly51 surprised animals.
[266]
“Who is that?” asked Hairi.
“The mother,” Pic replied. “The baby belongs to her.”
“Oo-wee! You said it was yours,” the Rhinoceros sternly corrected. “Which is right?”
“Both. It is hers and mine too. I am the father; she is the mother. We both own it.”
Pic turned to his mate. “These were—are still my friends,” he explained. “Once they saved me from the Cave Lion just as you saved me from the butcher-block.”
But the mother merely stared and made no reply.
“You must understand,” cried Pic, “they are animals—the Mammoth and Rhinoceros—but my friends, your friends, once the best I ever had; and now they must be yours as they are mine. As for the little one, they would not touch a hair of his head.” He stopped and grinned, then handed her the infant and stepped beneath the Mammoth’s mighty52 chest.
“Quick,” he whispered, “your foreleg; help me to mount your neck.” At this almost forgotten command, Hairi uttered a joyous53 bellow54 and assisted his rider to his accustomed seat. For a moment Pic’s face lay buried in the matted locks crowning the great head-peak. One hand stole downward and patted the Mammoth’s cheek.
“Good old friend,” he said in a low voice. “The[267] child; give it to me, and as you would be gentle with me, use tenderly that which is mine.” Then as the woman gazed upward with mingled55 feelings of awe36 and fear at the great Mammoth head and its rider, Hairi’s trunk reached forward and curled about the infant like a python’s fold. In a twinkle, the child was plucked from its mother’s arms and whirled aloft. With a loud cry, the poor woman fell upon her knees with face in the dirt as though to shut out the terrible sight; but when she raised her head—lo and behold56!—she saw naught57 of fearful things, merely the faces of her two treasures beaming upon her from on high. The infant was kicking and crowing with delight and Pic’s grin threatened to engulf58 his own ears.
Thus assured, the anxious mother gained hope and courage and smiled weakly in response. A radiant warmth of joyous understanding swept over the little gathering59.
“Why not all of us go away just as we are?” Hairi suggested. “The Trog-woman can ride on Wulli’s neck.”
“You are wasting breath,” snorted the Rhinoceros. “He has chosen his home and will not leave it until once more the cold winds come. When the woman has strayed away and the calf has learned to shift for itself, he will join us; but not now.”
[268]
Plucked From Its Mother’s Arms and Whirled Aloft
[269]
Pic heard; and in his eyes glittered a strange light which the Rhinoceros would not have understood, even had he seen. Wulli erred60, otherwise he would not have been a Rhinoceros. In a moment, Pic had lowered the infant into its mother’s outstretched arms and was descending61 to the ground.
“Now you know why I cannot go with you,” he said to the two animals. “This is my home, my family and the work I like best. But when you return, here you will find me, not merely after the one change of season—but always; and always will you be my good friends and welcome. Here I must stay and although we must part for the time being, it is farewell until we meet again.”
Hairi made as though to remonstrate62 but there was something in Pic’s voice and manner that made him and the Rhinoceros hold their peace and say no more. He bowed his head and strode to the edge of the rock-platform, followed closely by his woolly associate. Before beginning the descent, both turned and looked back to where Pic still stood with arm pointing up the valley.
“Farewell until we meet again,” three voices murmured in solemn chorus, and then the two animals carefully descended63 the slope and set off side by side across the meadows. The great lumbering64 strides of the Mammoth contrasted strangely with the bobbing trot65 of his smaller companion. Suddenly[270] as though actuated by a common impulse, both halted and gazed back long and earnestly at the now distant heights of Moustier.
Two figures, so close together that they resembled one dark speck66, stood outlined against the sky. One of them raised and waved an arm, which from afar resembled a thin, black thread. A faint cry reached the ears of the pair below. The Mammoth raised his trunk and trumpeted67 a shrill68 response; then wheeled and resumed his way.
For him and Wulli, life was too filled with the joys of nature to be more than temporarily disturbed by passing regrets. “Until we meet again” ran through his brain; for now he knew that the triple alliance remained unshaken and that time would again see united, the Ape Boy, the Mammoth and the Woolly Rhinoceros.
THE END
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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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rhinoceros
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| n.犀牛 | |
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forsook
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| forsake的过去式 | |
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tributary
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| n.支流；纳贡国；adj.附庸的；辅助的；支流的 | |
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nostril
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| n.鼻孔 | |
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grotto
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| n.洞穴 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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dwellings
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| n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 ) | |
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inmates
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| n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 ) | |
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gracefully
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| ad.大大方方地；优美地 | |
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leisurely
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| adj.悠闲的；从容的，慢慢的 | |
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catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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plodding
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| a.proceeding in a slow or dull way | |
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ascended
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| v.上升，攀登( ascend的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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fraught
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| adj.充满…的，伴有(危险等)的；忧虑的 | |
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squatting
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| v.像动物一样蹲下( squat的现在分词 )；非法擅自占用（土地或房屋）；为获得其所有权；而占用某片公共用地。 | |
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ledge
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| n.壁架，架状突出物；岩架，岩礁 | |
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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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peeking
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| v.很快地看( peek的现在分词 )；偷看；窥视；微露出 | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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amazement
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| n.惊奇，惊讶 | |
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spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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curiously
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| adv.有求知欲地；好问地；奇特地 | |
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chuckled
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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awaken
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| vi.醒，觉醒；vt.唤醒，使觉醒，唤起，激起 | |
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scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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rebuked
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| 责难或指责( rebuke的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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astounding
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| adj.使人震惊的vt.使震惊，使大吃一惊astound的现在分词) | |
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calf
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| n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮 | |
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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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32
puckered
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| v.（使某物）起褶子或皱纹( pucker的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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34
tusks
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| n.（象等动物的）长牙( tusk的名词复数 )；獠牙；尖形物；尖头 | |
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upwards
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| adv.向上，在更高处...以上 | |
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awe
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| n.敬畏，惊惧；vt.使敬畏，使惊惧 | |
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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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38
mite
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| n.极小的东西；小铜币 | |
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ruffled
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| adj. 有褶饰边的, 起皱的 动词ruffle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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40
bawling
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| v.大叫，大喊( bawl的现在分词 )；放声大哭；大声叫出；叫卖（货物） | |
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publicity
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| n.众所周知，闻名；宣传，广告 | |
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42
nervously
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| adv.神情激动地，不安地 | |
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43
indifference
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| n.不感兴趣，不关心，冷淡，不在乎 | |
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44
smirked
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| v.傻笑( smirk的过去分词 ) | |
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bug
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| n.虫子；故障；窃听器；vt.纠缠；装窃听器 | |
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46
scurrying
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| v.急匆匆地走( scurry的现在分词 ) | |
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cleft
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| n.裂缝；adj.裂开的 | |
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48
dangled
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| 悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口 | |
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49
rawhide
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| n.生牛皮 | |
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50
espied
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| v.看到( espy的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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51
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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52
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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53
joyous
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| adj.充满快乐的；令人高兴的 | |
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54
bellow
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| v.吼叫，怒吼；大声发出，大声喝道 | |
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55
mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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56
behold
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| v.看，注视，看到 | |
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naught
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| n.无，零 [=nought] | |
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engulf
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| vt.吞没，吞食 | |
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gathering
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| n.集会，聚会，聚集 | |
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erred
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| 犯错误，做错事( err的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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descending
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| n. 下行 adj. 下降的 | |
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62
remonstrate
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| v.抗议，规劝 | |
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63
descended
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| a.为...后裔的，出身于...的 | |
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64
lumbering
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| n.采伐林木 | |
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65
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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66
speck
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| n.微粒，小污点，小斑点 | |
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67
trumpeted
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| 大声说出或宣告（trumpet的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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68
shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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