 Introduction of the Cave Twins This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Introduction Prehistoric Man This is a story about things that happened ages and ages ago before any of us were born or our great-great-grandfathers either for that matter. It was so very long ago that there were no houses or farms or roads from one place to another and there was not a single city or a town or even a village in the whole earth. There was just a great round world all fresh and new and covered with growing things. And there were wild beasts of all kinds in the forest and fishes of all kinds in the seas and all sorts of birds and flying creatures in the air. Besides all these wonderful things in the new new world, there was man. He was quite new too. He didn't know much of anything about the world. All that he really knew was that there was a world and that he was in it and that there were fierce wild animals in it too which would kill him and eat him if he didn't kill them first. And he knew very well that he was not as swift as the deer or as big as the elephant or as strong as the lion or as fierce as the tiger and it seemed to him as if he hadn't much chance to stay alive at all in a world so full of terrible creatures who wanted to eat him up. But this prehistoric man was very brave and he could do two things which none of the other creatures could do. He could laugh and he could think. One day he sat down on a rock and took his head between his hands and thought and thought and by and by he lifted up his head and said to his wife for of course he had a wife. I have it, my dear. If you're not as strong as the wild beasts we must be a great deal more clever. So he got right up off the rock and said about being clever and so did his wife. They were so clever that they hid themselves in trees and rocks where the wild beasts could not find them and they found out the secret of fire. The other creatures could not find out the secret of fire to save their lives and they were dreadfully afraid of it. Then the man and his wife made weapons out of stones and bones and they made dishes out of mud and though these things weren't a bit like our weapons or our dishes they caught along very well with them for many years. In the earliest times of all the woman hunted and trapped the wild creatures and fished all by herself but by and by she began to let the man do the hunting and bring home the game while she stayed in the cave house and kept the earth fire bright and took care of the children. She cooked the food that he brought home and she made needles out of bones and sewed the skins together for clothes for her husband and the children and herself. After a long time she began to plant seeds of the wild things that she found were good to eat and to raise food out of the ground. All these things they did and many more that had never been done before and because they were so much more clever than all the beasts of the forest the prehistoric man and his prehistoric wife lived a long time in a little peace and more happiness than you might at first think possible. They taught their children all the clever things they had thought out and these children when they grew up taught them to their children and this went on for hundreds and thousands of years. Each generation learned new things and taught them to the next until now we have houses and churches and villages and cities dotted over the whole earth and there are roads going from everywhere to everywhere else. There are railroads and steam cars and telegraph and telephone lines and printing presses so that today everybody knows more about the very ends of the earth then prehistoric man could possibly know about what was happening 50 miles away from him and all these things we have today because the prehistoric man and the prehistoric women did their part bravely and well when the earth was young. This is a story about that far off time. If you don't believe it's true every word of it just get out your atlas and find the places on the map. There are every one of them there. End of introduction. The sun peered through the trees on the edge of a vast forest and sent a shaft of yellow sunlight right into the mouth of a great dark cave. In front of the cave a bright fire was burning and on a rock beside it sat an old woman. In her lap was a piece of birch bark and on the bark was a heap of acorns. She was roasting them in the ashes and eating them. At her right hand within easy reach there was a pile of broken sticks and branches and every now and then the old woman put on fresh wood and stared the coals to keep the fire bright. A little path ran from the front of the cave where the old woman sat down the sloping hillside to the blue river and the morning sun shining across it made a bridge of dazzling light from shore to shore. Beyond the river there were green fields and forests and beyond the forest high hills over which the sun climbed every morning. Finally beyond those far blue hills neither the old woman nor any of the clan of the black bear had the slightest idea. Everything seemed quiet and peaceful on that spring morning so long ago. The trees were beginning to turn green and little plants were often pushing their way through the carpet of dead leaves. A robin lit upon the branches of a tree above the cave and sang his morning song. There was no other sound except the sizzling of a wet stick on the fire and the snapping noise made by the old woman when she took a roasted acorn from the fire and cracked it with her teeth. The old woman was not pretty to look at. Her face was as brown as leather and covered with wrinkles and her hair hung about it in ragged grey locks. It was no wonder that her hair was rough and ragged for it had never been coomed her whole life long and she was quite old. Oh, as old as 40 maybe. But she really couldn't help her hair being like that any more than she could help in 40 because there was not a single comb yet made in the whole world. It was a mystery how she cracked nuts so well because she had only a few teeth left in her mouth. For clothing she had nothing but the skin of a deer fastened over her left shoulder by a thorn and tied around her waist with a leather palm. Although she seemed to be thinking of nothing but her nuts the little bright eyes of the old woman kept close watching every direction and her ears were quick to hear every unusual sound. If it twig snapped or there was a rustling noise in the underbrush she was ready an instant to fling fresh dyes sticks on the fire and make it blow red against the black opening of the cave. She knew that no wild animal however fierce and hungry would dare come near the leaping flames. Yet, waffle as she was she did not see two children who were creeping stealthily toward her over the great rocks which sheltered the mouth of the cave. They were a boy and a girl and from their size they must have been about 8 years old. They both had bright twinkling eyes and flaming red hair and were dressed alike in skins of red boxes of almost the same color. You could tell at a glance that they were twins but it would have puzzled anyone to tell whether they were both boys or girls or one of each kind. They came down over the rocks so quietly not even the quick ears of the old woman heard the faintest sound. When they had almost reached the ground they stopped and at the same instant opened their mouths and howled exactly like two young woes. The noise was so sudden and so near that the old woman never thought of her fire at all. She simply screamed and fell right over backwards into the cave. She rolled over and scuttled on all fours out of sight in the darkness as fast as she could go. The acorns from her lap flew in every direction and rolled down the hillside. The boy and girl jumped to the ground shrieking with laughter. In a moment the old woman was back again in the door of the cave. She had a stout stick in her hand and she looked very angry. She shifted the stick at the twins and scolded them so fast that the sound of it was like the chattering echo in a treetop. Now, of course, I cannot tell you just the words she used but translated into English this is what she said. You hurried little catamounts if I catch you I will teach you better manners I will give you such a taste of this stick that you will not need more till the river runs dry. The twins sprang up still shrieking with laughter and danced about the fire and started reaching the woman's stick but she can't catch us they screamed the red locks of hair flew about in the wind as they danced until it looked almost as if red flames were bursting from their heads the old woman glared at them helplessly dance away she cried dance away your red-headed rascals I shall need to put sticks on the fire while you are here your red hair would scare away a saber-toothed tiger himself no wonder you're not afraid to run alone in the forest with such hate on you you are as safe as if you were in the heart of the cave just then she saw her acorns all spilled on the ground and her rage broke out afresh pick them, you little rats they are the last of my winter store and it will be four moons yet before they will be ripe again down when the children on their hands and knees and began to gather up the scattered nuts young as they were they knew the value of food they also knew the taste of granny's stick in those days food could be only found at the risk of life itself and was not to be thrown away while hunger lasted besides the hunting had not been good for some time the reindeer had gone farther north and the great herds of bison had not yet come back from the warmer regions where they ranged in winter there were wild beasts of many other kinds in the forest but the hunters of the clan had not brought home meat for several days this was one reason why the children had ventured so far into the forest most of the time they and the other children of the clan stayed near the cave under the watchful eye of the old woman while their fathers and mothers went hunting now don't be cross old granny sit by the fire cried the girl at least I think it was the girl but the twins looked so exactly alike I can be quite sure we'll pick up your nets for you and if you put your stick down we'll give you something we brought for you the old woman's face softened you might almost have thought there was the beginning of a smile in the corners of her mouth but she only said I know your tricks worthless ones you have brought me nothing and a fright to the tumble in the ashes the girl pulled the acorns she had gathered into the piece of birch bark which served the old woman as a plate and danced over to the mouth of the cave she sossily took the stick out of granny's hand and flung it on the fire and then led her back to the stone seat go along and get it fire top she called I knew it was the girl who said this because it was the boy who was called fire top an account of his red hair but they called her firefly fire tops rang up the rocks down where she had climbed so carefully only a few moments before and came down again slowly carrying something in each hand he stood before the old woman with his hands behind him yes granny yes cried firefly by this time the smile had got out of the corners of granny's mouth and had spread all over her face gross she said wrong shouted the children yes again proofs gum wrong again laughed the twins granny caught a while this time then she said smells no no no the twins said vote together and then fire top slowly brought his hands round in front of him and showed the old woman four large birds eggs the twins smiled and when she smiled she wasn't so bad to look at after all almost nobody is for that matter she took the eggs from fire top's hands and covered them carefully in the ashes we will roast them she said I've had nothing to eat but acorns for three days past now tell me where you've been and how you found the eggs we were hungry and all the big people had gone off hunting and we thought we'd go too we thought we knew where we could find some roots so we hid ourselves and waited until robin and blackbird and square toes had gone down to the river to hunt frogs and then we ran back into the woods robin and blackbird and square toes were the other children of the clan firefly could never stay quiet for very long and now she broke into the story yes and he found some roots too she said we were just eating them and from a heath of bush right in front of us we heard a loud snort we didn't wait to dig any more roots I tell you there was a chestnut tree nearby and we grabbed a limb and swung ourselves up just in time it wasn't only one it was three wild boars that rushed out of the bushes and the biggest boar had tusks as long as this firefly held up a stick about eight inches long as she spoke it's lucky we were up in the tree for they were all hungry too and they looked as if they thought firetop and I would taste very good she laughed then firetop sees them he hung down from the limb and tackled their noises with a long stick my but they were mad yes said firetop they looked just as mad as you did when we scared you granny I wonder one look at you didn't scare them to death said granny because animals are so afraid of fire I am used to the flames on your heads but if I were to come upon you for the first time I should think I climbed a tree myself or else I should think the woods were on fire and run away granny poked firefly in the ribs and laughed at her own joke maybe I'll write her help some said firefly for pretty soon they all three turned and ran grunting off through the woods and then said firetop we thought we'd come back by the tree path we went out on the limb of the chestnut as far as we could go and swung into the big oak tree that stood next there are a lot of oak trees together there and we were going along from one to the other when there was a loud whirring noise and the big bird flew out of the top branches right over our heads we looked up and saw the nest it was made of sticks I got the eggs and handed them down to firefly and then we came home you didn't come all the way by the tree path and carry the eggs did you cried granny admiringly oh no said firefly the eggs were too big to carry in our mouths so firetop dropped to the ground and I handed the eggs down to him then we ran back home as fast as we could you will be as great huntress as your father and mother one of these days if you keep on said granny and no one in the whole clan can do better than they can mama I can't remember when your father was a boy how he used to hunt eggs that's how he got the name of Hawkeye he could find eggs and other things too where nobody else could find anything at all how he would swing along through the trees no wild creatures could ever get the start of him and then your mother she could run faster than the wind could blow she wasn't easily scared I can tell you she had always her legs to depend upon I've seen her run from a mad box so fast that she made just a streak of light through the forest and when the buck got to near she swung herself into a tree and then hauled by her legs safe about his head and teased the buck crazy because he could not reach her ah she was a wild one in those days and well she earned her name of Limberleg I'm sure the eggs must be done by this time said firetop granny reached down and poked the ashes away from the eggs they were very hot but her hands were so tough and horny that she could even handle life coals she gave one egg to firefly firefly took it in her hand but her hands were not quite so tough as granny's and it burned her like everything she dropped it on the ground squealing with pain it was cooked so hard that it did not spill though the shell was broken granny laughed aha she said I'm even with you now for giving me such a scare oh boasted firetop that's nothing watch me I guess if you can handle them I can he reached down and picked up an egg and held it in his hand it was just as hot as a coal of fire but he pretended it didn't hurt him he cracked and ate it in two bites I'm sure it must have burned a red path all the way to his stomach he never said a word but when firefly wasn't looking he did suck the air into his mouth to cool his tongue granny can have the other egg can she firetop because we scared her so said firefly when they had each eaten one you may scare me every day that you bring me birds eggs said granny granny took the last egg from the ashes and was just cracking it when suddenly there was a shout jump those were pretty jumpy times I can tell you for a new sound might mean almost any kind of danger there were so many wild beasts in the forest that no one could feel safe a single minute unless he was deep in a cave even then the cave had to have an entrance so narrow that no manhunting animal could get into it or else a fire must be kept burning before it to frighten them away the moment they heard the sound granny dropped her egg and sprang into her feet firetop and firefly popped into the cave and were out of its sight in an instant granny through fresh sticks on the fire and as it blazed up she looked fearfully about in every direction now she heard another sound besides the shouts and screams of children's voices from far away down the river came a long low roar and the tramp, tramp of many feet a group of children came tearing up the path where the cave shouting at the top of their lungs the bison are coming the bison are coming granny took up the cry the bison are coming the bison are coming she shouted into the cave and out tumbled firetop and firefly in the twinkling of an eye where, where they screamed there, there in the river bottoms panted square toes the biggest of the boys we were hunting for frogs and all of a sudden there was a roar at first so faint we could hardly hear it then far down the river we saw them coming run, run to the big rock and you can see them too granny threw a great heap of dry wood upon the fire and ran away with the children to the big rock which lay partway down the path toward the river from the top of this rock the whole valley was spread out before them like a map square toes pointed toward the south and there in the green marshy land bordering the river where hundreds and hundreds of great dark hairy beasts they were running and as they ran they made a low roaring sound that was frightful to hear we shall have fresh meat tonight said granny to the children the herd have been frightened I could not see the leaders some of our hunters have surely found them they stood on the rock until the great herd have thundered by and was out of sight around a bend in the bluff then granny said come let us go back to the fire and gather plenty of fuel so we can cook the meat when it comes and have a great feast end of chapter 1 for hours granny and the children work together to get a huge pile of fuel ready for a feast which they hoped to have at night it was something like getting ready for Thanksgiving it is likely that old sabertooth will be having a feast too said granny he is as glad as any of us to see the bison come back may as well maybe now he won't catch any bad children who stray too far into the wood you see the fierce sabertooth tiger was the beast they feared most of all but they always had to be on the watch for wolves and hyenas and for the dreadful cave bear as well there were wild horses too and elephants and mammoths and lions granny had to keep telling the children about these dangers tell us today to keep out of the way of trolley cars and steam engines and automobiles only trolley cars and steam engines don't run after us and stick their heads right into our front doors and try to eat us up as the wild creatures did in those days it seems to us now that no one could possibly have had any happiness in a world so full of dangers but you see granny and all the rest of the clan did not know that life could be any different just because there were so many dangers they grew brave to meet them and a brave man among dangers is far happier than a coward in a safe place so perhaps they had just as good a time living as we do after all by the time the children had gathered a heap of wood large enough to cook the biggest kind of a feast it was afternoon there was nothing in the cave to eat and they grew hungrier and hungrier but they were no signs of any hunters shadows began to gather in the woods now and then was a cry of some night bird or of a distant wolf these were lonely sounds firefly began to be discouraged suppose they shouldn't bring home any meat after all she said then we all just have to go hungry said granny firetop laid his hand on his stomach and groaned men never complain of such things said granny firetop took his hand off his stomach at once and made believe he had just coughed a little you see the cave people taught their children to bear hunger and pain without making any fuss about it I tell you what we could do said granny if we had some water we could have a place to boil the meat already when the hunters come back who will go for the water I'll go who will I and I they were all boys robin and firefly were the only little girls in the clan get the guards and the pigskin and run along then keep a sharp look out for you know the wild beasts will be soon out for their night hunting firetop ran for the skin of the wild boar which was in the cave it was their water cask with their holes cut in them to make tippers and then they were ready to start ran into three sticks of pine and laid the ends in the fire when they were burning bell she gave one of them to each of the boys for a torch it isn't dark yet but you will be safe with these anyway she said as soon as the three boys had gone skipping and whooping down the path to the river granny and the girls set about getting a kettle ready they hollowed out a hole in the ground not fall from the fire when it was deep enough they lined it with a heavy piece of hide they put stones around the edge of it to keep it in place then they gathered piles of small stones and threw them in the fire to get hot by the time all this was done the boys were back with the pigskin full of water granny poured it into the hollow dish in the ground it was almost dark and it seemed to the children that they could not wait another minute when they heard a welcome sound the noise of voices talking and laughing together they sprang to their feet and gave a boob of joy it was answered by a shout from the path belly and they were laughing they have meat cried granny she threw more wood on the fire up flew the flames lighting the forest with a red glare sparks floated away over the very tree tops by its light they saw Hawkeye and Limberleg and all the other men toiling up the path the bigger boys were with them too and they were all loaded down with great chunks of bison meat the wary hunters dropped the bison skins in one place to be stretched and cured the next day the meat they threw down on the ground at the mouth of the cave and granny and the other women began at once to cook it some of it they put in the fire to roast and some of it they put in the leather kettle in the ground then they poked the hot stones out of the fire they kept taking the stones out of the water with the sticks as they grew cool and putting them back into the fire to get hot again in this way they soon got the water to boil the smell of the roasting and boiling meat was too much for fire top it made him so hungry that he couldn't wait he just snatched a piece of meat from the ground and ate it raw but he was ready to eat again when the meat was cooked and the real feast began then the great fire blazed and crackled outside the entrance filled the cave with a warm red glow the whole clan gathered in the front of the cave near the fire Hawkeye was the leader of the clan because he was the strongest man and the best hunter he was a large man with little sharp eyes and red hair which covered his breast and legs as well as his head around his neck was a string of bears teeth there were four other men they were called eagle nose gray wolf, big ear and long arm there were three other women besides Lumberleg and Granny they were the wives of the men there were four big boys who were already hunting with the men and there were blackbird, robin and square toes besides fire top and firefly these were all they were in the clan of the bear when the feast began the people all sat down in a circle all but Granny Granny stood up and handed out great chunks of meat to the others and kept the fire bright but she had a bone in her hand all the time and whenever she had a chance she ignored at it there were no knives or forks or plates of course they all took their meat in their hands and just gnawed and gobbled as fast as they could nobody had any manners and not a single mother said have you washed your hands or don't take such large mouthfuls or you will choke yourself or anything like that there were some things about those chasers that must have been very pleasant after all for a long time they ate and said nothing you see food had been scarce for so many days that they had to make up for lost time but by and by when they were all stuffed full fire top rolled over onto the skin of a bear which was lying on the cave floor and said to his father tell us about the hunting who killed the meat and how was it you all came back together the wolves not just like the wolves said Hawkeye laughing there were five of us after the bison the women went off to set snares for rabbits and the boys to hunt eggs along the bluffs of the river I felt in my bones that we should see the bison today so the men and I took our way toward the lowlands we knew they would come from that direction for a long way but found nothing we were beginning to think we should come home empty-handed when far away I heard bellowing then I saw a little black speck moving along the green valley two black specks moved beside it they were the leader and his two sentinels and behind them came the herd we saw the herd too cried fire top I saw them first said square toes I saw them just as quick as you shouted black bird shut up said his mother and black bird did feathers and mothers in those days used just such languages that if the children didn't mind it once they were likely to get something worse than just language it wasn't a polite idea at all we crept down the bluffs as quietly as snakes went on Hawkeye when everybody was still again I was in the front when the leader of the herd go to our hiding place I sprang from the bushes and threw my spear with all my strength he gave a mighty roar he stood on his hind legs and thundered then big ears sprang forward and threw his spear the leader fell the herd broke and ran the sentinels could not control them they ran toward them we killed two young cows with our axes the rest of the herd rushed past the leader and two cows were left behind the leader was old and tough we pulled out our spears and left him to the jackals and hyenas the two cows were small we skinned them and cut them into pieces and started for the cave at the foot of the path we met other people they were wary and had caught nothing when they saw us they laughed for joy we heard them, cried Firefly Granny said you would bring me meat she said so when we heard the laughing she said so when the herd passed by she thought that they had been frightened that is why we had the kettle ready Granny is a wise old woman said Hawkeye now get to bed every one of you the children scuttled away and threw themselves down on heaps of skins which lay about the cave and were soon sound asleep at least the others were asleep but for some reason Firetop and Firefly stayed away maybe they had eaten too much at any rate they lay in the corner on their own heap of skins and watched Hawkeye and Limerleg and Granny and the others as they sat about in the cheerful glow of the fire nobody had said anything for a long time and the twins were beginning to feel quite sleepy when Hawkeye spoke what he said made them sit up and listen with all their ears of course neither Hawkeye nor Limerleg thought for a moment that the twins were awake or listening grown up people are often very stupid about such things anyway they were awake and they did listen and this is what they heard Hawkeye said I'm going across the river tomorrow why are you going asked Big Ear I want to see what lies beyond the blue hills that the sun climbs over Hawkeye answered but no one of our clan has ever gone across the river our hunting grounds have always been on this site said Longar it is time one did go then said Hawkeye game will be plentiful now everywhere but after the rain do you go there is a long time that we have little food we need to find new hunting grounds I am going to seek them then I am going too it was Limerleg who spoke I can hunt I can trap as well as anybody and I can throw a spear as straight I am not afraid Granny will look after the children while we are gone when we heard that Firetop poked Firefly in the ribs he whispered they'll never let you Firefly whispered back I am going anyway Firetop answered don't you tell if you go I am going said Firefly I can go as well as you can said Firetop for Granny was speaking the river is wide and dangerous she said the current is swift and who knows what monsters may be in it I myself saw what I know the river is wellowing in the mud only a few days ago some say they have seen a serpent as large as the trunk of a tree we can go up the river until we find a shallower place to cross said Hawkeye I have killed the tiger and the rhinoceros and they care there in my time we can take care of ourselves when Limerleg heard him say we she knew that she was going and she was glad she was as brave as Hawkeye almost as good a hunter when he saw that Hawkeye had really made up his mind to go nobody else said anything they knew it would be a waste of words and in those days there were fewer words to waste than we have now we must start early Hawkeye said to Limerleg we will take one extra skin apiece in our axes and spears Limerleg rose at once and went over to the corner of the cave where the twins were the twins shut their eyes tight they were sound asleep Pytop even snored a little Limerleg spread the skins of two bears upon the cave floor and threw herself on one of them Hawkeye went to the cave mount took a look at the stars yawned warmed himself at the fire and then he too went to bed the rest of the men and women found their own places in other shadowy corners of the cave and soon the whole clan of the bear was sound asleep End of Chapter 3 Chapter 3 of The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Chapter 3 The Runaways Next morning Pytop awoke before the dawn He sat up at once and looked about him Not another soul was staring and from the different corners of the cave came the sound of snores The fire was burning brightly for Granny had been up four times in the night to put on fresh fuel Now she too was fast asleep Pytop crawled quietly out to the warm wolf skins of his bed He took one of the wolf skins and tied it over his shoulder with a leather tongue The rest he bunched up to look as if he were still in bed in his sleep Hawkeye had made a small spear for each of the twins They were not playthings They were real spears for children of that day had to learn to use such weapons while they were still young Pytop took his spear in his hand and pipped firefly gently in the ribs with it She awoke instantly and would have poked back if Pytop hadn't shaken his head at her and laid his finger on his lips She nodded, crawled out of her bed and bunched it up like Pytops Then she tied a wolf skin over her shoulder and took her own spear and together the two children crept silently past the sleepers and out of the cave They snatched chunks of meat from the remains of the feast as they passed It was only a daylight though the sky was pink about the hills across the river and all the birds were singing as the twins came out of the cave and ran down the river path Neither one of them spoke until they were far enough from the cave to hear them Then Pytop whispered We'll climb a tree We can watch from the tree and see when they start Then we'll slide down and follow them They won't know we're with them until it's too far to send us back They won't like it, said Firefly What do you think they will do to us? They'll wallop us, said Pytop But I don't care It won't hurt when it's over and I've just got to go We shall see all kinds of things before Well, sighed Firefly I do hate that part of it but I guess it's worth it Come on, let's climb this tree The children could climb like monkeys but they had their weapons and the meat and that made it a little difficult They leaned their spears against the trunk of the tree, took the meat in their and up they went as easily as you could go upstairs Then they hid themselves in a fork of the tree and ate their breakfast The branches made a screen around them so they could see without being seen They watched the cave It was not long before they saw Granny come out and take a look at the weather Then she put more fuel on the fire and sat down on a rock to gnaw a bone for her breakfast Soon, Hawkeye and Limba Leg appeared They each had their weapons and a reindeer skin strapped by leather tongues across their shoulders Limba Leg had a guard tied to her belt They were each gnawing bones too They stopped to speak to Granny The twins leaned forward and listened with all their ears They heard Hawkeye say The children are still asleep You can tell them when they wake up Then they came along the path eating as they came They passed almost under the tree where the twins are hiding They seemed to the twins so funny that they stuffed their mouths full of meat and then clapped their hands over them to keep from laughing aloud As it was a snicker ran out between Firefly's fingers Hawkeye heard it What's that? He said sharply He and Limba Leg stopped a moment and listened Nothing but a squirrel said Limba Leg There he is on that log over there The twins nearly smothered themselves then to keep their laughs in Hawkeye and Limba Leg passed on down the path to the very edge of the forest There they turned and walked along the bluffs and swing themselves into a tree at a moment's notice This was safer than walking in the green meadows beside the river where there were no trees to climb Firetop and Firefly waited until they were out of sight around the turn Then they crawled down from the tree took their spears in their hands and ran after them They stayed back far enough so they could hide behind trees of Hawkeye or Limba Leg should turn around you'd near enough to keep them in sight For miles and miles they walked and ran It was hard with their short legs to keep the pace set by their father and mother but they knew very well they had to do it There was no turning back then On and on walked Hawkeye and Limba Leg The sun climbed higher and higher The children were thirsty but they did not dare to run down to the river for a drink They were hungry but they had nothing to eat They snatched little green leaves from the bushes as they passed but this was hardly enough to fill their empty stomachs We'll just have to call them said Firefly at last I'm so hungry I've simply got to have something to eat and if we stop to hunt for roots we'll never catch up with them again They'll be as mad as mad bulls when they see us said Firetop Yes, of course we'll get a good beating we expected that but it won't hurt after it is over you told me so yourself Jiminy said Firetop or if it wasn't Jiminy it was something that meant the same thing I just hate to think of it can't you go on a little longer what's the difference? moaned Firefly it's got to come sometime we might as well have it over not going another step and she sat plumbed down on a fallen tree Firetop put his hands to his mouth and gave a long sharp cry it was the distress signal of the bear clan Hawkeye and Limba Leg stopped instantly they looked up at the river they looked down the river and they caught a glimpse of two red heads and two very scared faces far back on the bluff they came tearing back through the underbrush to the two small figures on the log they could hardly believe their eyes where did you come from you naughty little weasels cried Limba Leg angrily from the cave said Firefly we follow you because we want to see what lies beyond the blue hills the river too and if you're going to spank us please do it right away because we're awfully hungry oh no cried Firetop you needn't do it now if you'd rather not couldn't you put it off until we get home again we're willing to wait and you'd have more time then Limba Leg and Hawkeye didn't discuss the matter they sat right down on the log and began Limba Leg took Firefly and Hawkeye took Firetop and they spanked and spanked now can we have something to eat sniffled Firetop when he was over Limba Leg looked at Hawkeye we can't send them back alone she said Firetop saw that they were going to give in the hyenas would surely get us he said plaintively we're pretty small to go back alone soft Firefly and besides we want to see what lies beyond the blue hills across the river maybe that Hawkeye was a little pleased at their courage in following them anyway he said well you can climb like squirrels we shall not be gone many days come along Firetop sprang up and whooped for joy Firefly turned a somersault Hawkeye and Limba Leg laughed they couldn't help it you see even in those early times parents were fond of their children although they didn't know any better punishment for them than spankings there are some parents like that yet now what should we have to eat said Firefly when everybody was happy again we'll have to find something said Hawkeye to Limba Leg you take the children down into the meadow I see carrots growing down there I'll hunt in the woods listen for my call and when you hear it come to that big oak tree as fast as you can Limba Leg and the twins started at once down the bluff toward the river the bushes grew thick along the slope so they made a crashing noise Firetop was ahead then came Firefly and last of all Limba Leg suddenly there was a loud burring sound and out of the bushes in front of them flew a great wood grouse instantly Firetop braised himself and flung his spear and before Limba Leg or Firefly could catch up with him he was far beyond them down the slope struggling with the wounded bird when they reached him he had killed it Limba Leg was delighted he called him a great hunter and said she was glad he had come with them after all maybe you think Firetop wasn't a proud boy then he waggled his red head and swaggered up the slope toward the big oak tree with a huge bird on his shoulder Limba Leg and Firefly stayed behind to hunt in the bushes for the grouse's nest Firefly found it and there were seven eggs in it then Limba Leg patted Firefly your father and I will not need to get any food for you she said they will hunt for us they went up the slope after Firetop carrying the eggs when they reached the big oak tree on the bluff Limba Leg took the feathers off the grouse and cut it into chunks with her flint knife they had no fire so they ate it raw they ate five of the eggs and left two for Hawkeye they saved the legs of the grouse for him too they waited and waited but still Hawkeye didn't come they began to get a little frightened but at last there was a call like the hooting of an owl and he appeared crashing through the bushes he had a rabbit hanging from his shoulder then Firefly played a trick on him we aren't hungry she said Hawkeye was astonished I thought you were starved by the way you acted he said we aren't any of us hungry now said Firetop did you fill yourselves with carrots oh no we had fresh meat said Firetop with his nose in the air fresh meat cried Hawkeye what did you kill he said to Limba Leg nothing said Limba Leg but I did shouted Firetop he told all about killing the grouse you should have seen Hawkeye then he was just as pleased as our fathers are when we get A in arithmetic I guess you can take care of yourselves you heard the story you don't need me then he laughed and made his face look scared will you let me go with you to the land where the sun rises he said I'm very small but I can climb trees I'm afraid to go alone I need you to kill bison and mammoths for me to eat Firetop, Firefly and Limba Leg laughed at this until they nearly choked then Firetop vacked his head at his father you shouldn't have followed me he said I shall have to spank you but you're too small to send alone to the cave so I'll have to let you come with me End of Chapter 3 One day they followed the river looking for a place where it was shallow enough for them to cross without serious danger of drowning they did not know how to swim for their supper they had only the rabbit they ate it sitting on the bluff with their backs to each other so they could watch in every direction for signs of danger when the shadows of the bluff grew long across the meadows Limba Leg said Hawkeye, even if we could find one we might find the cave bear at home in it in that case we should probably spend the night in his stomach and I'm sure that would be too crowded to be comfortable we can't spend the night on the ground surely, said Limba Leg or we might wake up in the stomach of old sabertooth instead this was just their way of joking because I never heard of anyone waking up after being swallowed except Jonah and Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother and of course the story happened long before either Jonah or Red Riding Hood or her grandmother did Hawkeye took out his Flint knife I almost said he took it out of his pocket because it seems queer to think of a man without pockets of course, he didn't really have any though the Flint knife was fastened to his belt by a thong go and find all the grape wines you can he said Limba Leg and the twins flew back into the forest to search for vines there were plenty of them and they pulled up a great heap of long, tough stems and brought them back to Hawkeye Hawkeye had another bunch which he had cut on the bluff overlooking the valley there was a great oak tree with giant branches spreading in every direction we'll sleep here, said Hawkeye nothing can harm us unless a wild cared or some such climbing creature should visit us and I think I could make him wish he hadn't come I shall have my spear beside me and shall sleep on the lower limbs shall be roost like the birds asked Firefly anxiously Limba Leg laughed and took a leap into the air and caught one of the branches she swung herself into the tree and ran along the branch to the grid take trunk hand up the vines, she called down and I'll show you how we will roost Hawkeye tossed them up to her she climbed higher in the tree and found a place where two limbs came together like those shown in the picture she rolled the vines back and forth over the two branches until she had made a rough network like a very coarse hammock now up you come she called to Firefly and I'll put you to bed Firefly climbed the tree this was the way she went upstairs to bed Limba Leg took off the wool skin which was still tied over her shoulders and spread it over the wine hammock then Firefly crawled into her bed her mother took the leather thong which had been around the wool skin and tied her securely to one of the limbs with it that was her way of tucking her in so that she would not fall out of bed she didn't hear her say her prayers because in those days they didn't know there was anything to pray to unless it was to giants or the spirits of water or fire or thunder and lightning they prayed to them sometimes when they were frightened I don't believe she kissed her good night either there was not much kissing in those days when Firefly was safely stowed away Limba Leg climbed farther up the tree to find a place to firetop but he had already found one for himself and was beginning to make his bed when he was swung from his branches like a big cocoon Hawkeye and Limba Leg made themselves as comfortable as they could on the lower limbs of the tree the western sky was all flamed with yellow and red as they settled themselves for the night and the birds sang them to sleep when Firetop opened his eyes the next morning he couldn't think where he was he tried to flop over as he could so easily do when sleeping on his wool skins in the cave but he found himself securely tied he lifted his head and looked out the sun was just rising over the blue hills across the river he looked down through the tree branches to see his father and mother they were not there for a moment he thought perhaps he had dreamed it all I often go to all sorts of strange places when I'm asleep he said to himself pretty soon I'll wake up in the cave he waited to wake up but he didn't wake up he kept right on being out of doors and up a tree and his parents kept on being gone then he remembered all about everything he called the firefly are you there? she answered in a sleepy voice yes are you sure? Firetop called back because father and mother aren't aren't what? said Firefly getting wide awake aren't there? Firetop answered Firefly lifted her head and tried to roll over if she had not been tied she would have rolled out of bed she looked down too the branches were certainly empty what would you do if you were to wake up in the morning and find yourself tied in bed and father and mother gone and no breakfast ready? well they did just the same thing they simply yelled they had good strong lungs and they made a great deal of noise when they stopped they heard a distant shout that sounded like their own ow ow ow it came back to them from two different directions that's not father's voice said Firetop nor mother's said Firefly it must be theirs let's call again said Firetop they nearly split their throats that time ow ow ow they screamed and ow ow came back from the forest in the river it must be the spirit of the water and the trees mocking us said Firetop it sounded just like us you see they did not know what an echo was I'm scared said Firefly I am too a little Firetop admitted let's not call anymore if he keeps still maybe the spirits won't find us whispered Firefly they snuggled down in the wool skins and kept very still by and by they heard a crashing sound in the underbrush not far away they were stiff with fright they didn't dare even to breathe then came a loud cry hoo hoo the trees came nearer it came right under that tree then somebody's voice called are you awake little red foxes up in the tree two red heads instantly popped over the edge of the tree beds and two voices cried out something that meant oh we're so glad that you come back Limberlake climbed the tree and tied the children it took them about two seconds to get to the ground and they didn't fall down either there under the tree they found Hawkeye preparing breakfast he and Limberlake had gone down to the river bank very early and had found a whole colony of turtles they had brought home four turtle eggs a piece I should ask how many eggs there were it would have been no use to ask the twins neither they nor their father and mother could have told you they hadn't any of them learned to count that far nobody could in those days they marked short work of the eggs even if they couldn't add or multiply or divide when they had finished eating them they strapped their skins on their shoulders once more and started up the river all the morning they triumphed steadily along looking for a good place to fort it the sun was already in the west when suddenly Limberlake stopped at a turn in the bluff see see she cried two rivers they all stopped and looked at the point or rather two small streams came together making one big one there was a high v-shaped point of land between the two streams now we can cross cried Limberlake joyfully she let the bay running and leaping down the bluffs to the river's edge the banks at this point were sandy and the river full of stones the current was swift but the water was clear and not very deep Limberlake ran out on the stones follow close after me she leaped lightly over the stones to the middle of the stream where the river was deepest the children followed partway then firetops stood still on one of the stones and looked at the swirling water firefly was on the next stone behind him the stone in front looked a long way off the firetop I can't jump so far he squealed I can't either my legs aren't long enough jump! cried Limberlake impatiently we can't shouted the twins beginning to cry you see they were afraid of water and it really wasn't much wonder for they had never even had a real bath in their whole lives I have no children to feel just the same way about water in these days they can't bear it even on a washcloth Hawkeye was on the stone behind them jump! he shouted or I'll give you something to cry for and that was the very first time that any parent ever said that about giving them something to cry for and they've been saying it ever since to my personal knowledge you see that? with Limberlake in front calling jump and Hawkeye behind saying such alarming things the twins were in a tight place there was nothing to do but jump so firetop took a flying leap and firefly followed him luckily she came just a little too soon she jumped on to firetop from under him he lost his footing on the stone and they both rolled into the cold water the crying they had done before wasn't anything to what they did then I can tell you that is as soon as their heads were out of the water again they might have been carried away by the current if Hawkeye hadn't instantly thrown his spear across to the father shore and jumped in after them he seized one of them with each hand and waded with them to the land then he picked up his spear again from the ground where it had fallen if you will believe me the twins held tight to their own little spears all the time even when they were underwater it was all they had to hold to to be sure and besides they loved those spears more than we loved dolls and roller skates and marbles and baseball all put together Limberlake laughed at the dripping little figures you look like a pair of water rats she cried the twins could not see anything funny in that little streams of water trickled down the backs and they didn't like it the rock that was on the point of land between the two rivers was not far away from the place where they landed let's go to the top said Limberlake to the twins that will warm you up it was quite a steep climb and I wish you could see what they saw from that summit they could look a long way up each of the two rivers and a long way down the big one there were deep, silent woods along the shores back on the land between the two streams they were all beginning to be hungry again by this time and they hoped that they might see their supper wandering about somewhere over the rocks we'll see who has the sharpest eyes said Limberlake I see something white right now way down there in the bushes said Firefly it's bouncing around I see it too said Hawkeye it's the tail of a deer there's a herd down there Hawkeye started down the rocks in a hurry I'll not be gone long he called back to Limberlake get a fire started before I come back Limberlake and the twins watched Hawkeye until he disappeared in the underbrush then she and the children began to gather wood for the fire firetop found a piece of hardwood that was round Limberlake pointed the end of it with her flint knife then they hunted for a piece of soft wood in the soft wood Limberlake made a little hollow place that would fit the end of the stick Firefly you stay with me said she I want you to gather little tendrils of dry moss and watch beside me while I twirl the stick the moment I tell you to you must drop little pieces of dry moss into the hollow place in the wood firetop you gather a great heap of sticks here on top of the rock Limberlake knelt on the edge of the rock and began to twirl the stick between her hands as she twirled she mumbled a prayer to the fire god Firefly held the soft wood firmly in place while Limberlake worked she twirled and twirled until a tiny thread of smoke began to curl from the hollow chop in the moss cried Limberlake the smoke grew thicker Limberlake worked faster and faster soon a tiny flame burst forth Firefly fed the flame with the dried moss until it was big enough to burn little twigs and dead leaves soon a brisk fire was burning firetop had brought a great pile of wood to the rock and had also found some long willow branches to use in broiling meat the fire is ready but where is the food said Firefly it was not long in coming Hawkeye soon appeared climbing up the rock with a young doe on his shoulder he and Limberlake skinned it and cut up the meat and they had all the broiled venison they could possibly eat for supper we shall have to spend the night here and they couldn't eat anymore we couldn't find a better place anyway there is water around the rock except on the land side we'll keep the fire bright and we shall be just as safe as a weaver in the cave Hawkeye spread the fire in a long line across the land side of the rock he built a sort of wall of sticks and branches to feed it and all night long it blazed and smoldered they spread their skins on the rock and slept peacefully in its warm glow the next morning dawned bright and clear and the whole family got up with the birds they had more venison for breakfast and when that was out of the way Hawkeye said we better get across the other river early there is no telling how far we may have to go today or what we may find on the way I hate to leave this place cried Firefly it's so beautiful and I'm sure there is lots of game here I hate to leave the doe skin behind said Limberlake of course I can't dry and stretch and cure it while we are traveling we can carry enough meat to last us all day said Hawkeye and that will save lots of time we won't have to stop to hunt for a dinner he tied a great piece of meat over the shoulders of Firetop and Firefly and Limberlake and took the biggest piece on his own back and off they started it would take too long to tell you all about what a time they had getting across the river it was deeper than the first one and if it hadn't been for a lucky accident they might never have got across at all when they came to the water's edge Firetop saw some turtles sunning themselves on a log a little way down the stream the log had floated down the river and had caught against a dead branch that struck out of the water they were not so afraid of the water now they had really been in it Firetop thought it would be great fun to catch a turtle he pointed them out to Firefly come on, was all he said but she knew what it meant and at once the two children waded quietly out toward the log wading in was altogether different from having to tumble in anyway the turtles saw them coming and just as the twins reached the log they slid off into the water one of them found one of Firetop's big toes in the mud and bit it Firetop screamed and tried to get away Firefly didn't know what was the matter and the general principles and they both grabbed the log and tried to climb on to it the log rolled over and got loose from the branch that held it and started downstream with the both children clinging to it and yelling they couldn't get up on it because it kept turning over but they held on because it was the only thing there was to hold on to and Firetop kept kicking with all his might to get away from the turtle Firefly did some kicking too because she was trying to find the bottom with her feet and got him there the current was not very swift at this point and though they didn't know it the children were really swimming with their legs and they made the log go toward the other shore while all of this was happening weird usable as the Hawkeye and Lumberleg were they were chasing after them as fast as they could go but the children had quite a start and got farther away every minute the water was almost over Lumberleg's head and you know how hard it is to walk in deep water they had the meat the meat that the twins were carrying got loose in their struggles and fell off in the water perhaps the turtle saw it and decided that it was better eating than Firetop's toe or maybe he got homesick I can't tell about that but anyway he let go the twins kept on reaching for the bottom and kicking with all their might and screaming too and before long the log ran its nose into the farther bank and they seized the branches of a villa tree in a moment Hawkeye and Lumberleg came tearing up the river bank to them they had come straight across the river while the children had been carried some distance by the current you can just think how glad they all were when they found that they were across and not a single one of them had been drowned when Firetop told about the turtle Hawkeye laughed and laughed Lumberleg laughed a little too Firetop felt pretty sorry for himself but he wasn't really hurt and in half an hour he had forgotten to limp End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of the Cave Twins This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Chapter 5 The Tree Clan They walked a little way along the bank looking for a good place to cross the flat green meadow that lay between the river and the forest Soon they came to a sort of path which led them back into the woods Hawkeye looked at it very carefully He even got down and examined the wet ground at the water's edge In the mud there were footprints Isn't it a drinking place for the wild creatures? As Lumberleg Hawkeye grunted Like ourselves he answered briefly There are people living in these woods That's the print of a man's foot Lumberleg looked just as she would have looked if he had said There's a pack of hyenas living in those woods There was reason for it in those days The different groups of people in the forest had nothing to do with one another and when they met they were much more likely to fight than to be friendly Can't we go up the river bank and not go into the woods at all? On Sir Hawkeye pointed down the river Far away in the green meadow they saw two mammoths feeding Even at that distance they looked like giant rocks looming out of the grass Their long ivory tusks gleamed in the sun We can't go that way said Lumberleg and it's no use to go back We'll go up the path to the edge of the wood then follow the river said Hawkeye Maybe no one will see us It's the best we can do be quiet and be quick He set off at a swift trot his spear in his hand The two children followed with their mother I see shadows moving in the trees said Firefly Both twins wished very much that they were at home with Granny just at that moment They are following us higher up on the bluff Lumberleg answered in a low voice Hawkeye had seen all that they had seen and more but he said nothing He trotted on Just then a chunk of mud and dirt came flying through the air and struck Hawkeye on the head Stones, sticks and all sorts of missiles followed Keep on running said Hawkeye They were terribly frightened but they did as they were told If they had looked up they would have seen a terrifying sight On the edge of the bluff there was a strange group of people At least we must call them people though they looked more like monkeys than like human beings They were grinning horribly and dancing about and chattering to each other The bodies were covered with dark hair Their arms were long and strong their legs shot They had little eyes set near together and almost no forehead at all Every one of them had something in his hand to throw at the travelers Hawkeye kept straight on Run he cried We can't fight There are too many On, on they ran panting in breathless A little way ahead there were some large rocks on the edge of the wood There they might find a momentary shelter They had almost reached the rocks when suddenly a woman of the wild tribe let herself down out of a tree on the edge of the bluff and made a bold dash down the slope Before they could stop her she had seized Firefly and dragged her away She got as far as the first stoke tree on the slope and had actually snatched a limb intending to swing herself and Firefly into it when Limberleg screaming with fury reached a spot Limberleg seized Firefly by one arm The wild woman had hold of the other They pulled in opposite directions and screamed and if it had not been for Hawkeye there is no telling what might have become of poor Firefly She might have been pulled in two or she might have been carried off and adopted into the wild clan But Hawkeye was there in almost no time and though the people on the bluff rained down sticks and stones upon them Hawkeye drove his spear into the woman's arm With a shriek of pain she let go of Firefly and dashed away into the forest Run for your lives! cried Hawkeye and they started again at top speed for the rocks They reached them none too soon The people on the bluff infuriated by the injury to the woman came dashing down the slope after them Once in the shelter of the rocks Hawkeye turned and faced his pursuers When they had almost reached his hiding place he gave a fierce yell and threw his spear It was a very well made spear with a bone barb on the end and it struck the leader of the wild tribe in the thigh With a shriek of pain he fell to the ground Then he seized the spear and pulled it out of his flesh The wild tribe had no weapons but sticks and stones They were tree dwellers They did not even know the secret of fire They lived upon roots and berries and nuts and such small game as they could catch with their hands or in snares Their homes were root shelters in the trees When they saw what had happened to their leader they were terribly frightened They turned and ran for the trees leaving the wounded man on the ground They ran out from behind the rock picked up his spear and sent it flying after the enemy It struck another man Howling with pain and fear he too dropped in his tracks His companions ran faster than ever and when they reached the trees instantly swung themselves up by the branches and disappeared Only now and then one could be seen swinging from tree to tree back into the deep forest like great monkeys Hawkeye again ran after his spear and left him rolling on the ground too much hurt to attack him or defend himself Then Hawkeye ran back to the little group hidden behind the rock Everything was now as quiet as if no one lived in the forest at all There was not a single tree dweller in sight except the first wounded man and he was already crawling up as fast as he could up the bluff In spite of everything Hawkeye and Limbaleg had held on to their meat and now they felt they need a food They cut Limbaleg's load into four great chunks and each took one They ate as they walked They ran along past the place where the mammoths were feeding and then turned their backs on the river and plunged into the deep forest toward the east The ground began to rise a little and Hawkeye said If we keep on climbing in the direction of the rising sun we are bound to reach the blue hills at last All that day they journeyed and that night they spent in a tree The next morning found them still climbing At last about noon of the second day they reached the crust of the range and climbed out upon the high bald summit of the highest hill No one of them had ever seen what Hawkeye and Limbaleg in the twins now saw There was a world spread out before them They looked back far away in the blue distance toward the west and there they saw a little silver thread That silver thread was their river They looked toward the south and far far away they saw more water than they had ever dreamed there wasn't the whole earth They didn't know what it was They were not even sure that it was water They had never heard of the sea They stood silent and breathless with wonder and gazed at it At last Hawkeye said in an awestruck turn It's the end of the world Let's go to the very edge and look over it said Limbaleg We can find out where the sun hides during the darkness You see what a brave woman she was Then are these the blue hills? asked Firetop They don't look blue a bit The blueness is all around us though cried Firefly pointing down into the valley And beyond the end of the world it's all blue too with sparkles on it The sky is blue The only place that isn't blue We will surely go through the blue country to get to the end of the world then said Firetop All this time Hawkeye had been standing on their highest point studying the view when choosing landmarks He knew how to find his way through forests as well as we know the way to the post office When he had the route all planned out he called the children and Limbaleg to his side He pointed to the south Do you see far away that little neck of land which leads out to the very end of the world He said We will keep the sun on this side of us the first half of the day and on the other side the other half of the day and we shall surely reach it then we shall see what lies beyond Hawkeye led the way over the crust of the hill and down into the forest below The twins and Limbaleg closed behind him All day they pressed on over hills through dense woods and across little streams keeping all ways to the south Last they found the narrow neck of land which they had seen from the hilltop They camped at night in a tree near the water's edge and at nightfall of the second day after they climbed the last very mile and stood upon the great rocks at the end of the world A stream of fresh water poured through a deep gorge beside them Toward the east and toward the west farther than their eyes could see stretched the dark blue waters Toward the north they could look clear across the island to the distant shore of the mainland We know now that they stood on the southern coast of the Isle of White and that the faint blue line across the water could someday be called France But the twins and their father and mother thought that they stood on the very edge of the earth and looked out into mysterious regions which lay beyond As they stood gazing the western sky, flamed with red and gold and the sun sank out of sight behind a distant point of land High up in the east, the pale round disk of the moon hung in the deep blue of the sky It was more wonderful than they had dreamed Tomorrow if we wake early, we shall see where the sun comes from," said Limboleg They sat on the rocks and watched the stars come out and saw the moon sail away to the west and then, when they were too wary to stay awake longer they spread their skins on the rocks and slept under the open sky with the boom of the surf for Eololabai End of Chapter 5 Chapter 6 of The Cave Twins This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Chapter 6 The Earthquake They slept so soundly that they did not hear the low, rolling sounds of thunder or see the moon go out a sight behind a black cloud Even lightning did not rouse them but when at last the rain came splashing down over their bare skins they woke up There was no shelter for them so they huddled together in a wet heap and waited for the rain to be over and for the morning to come It was no gentle spring shower The water poured down like a deluge They were very wretched and firefly began to cry Now, see here the limberlake said to her There's water enough already You needn't add your tears or we should all be drowned The rain will be over in some time It won't hurt you When the lightning flash they could see the trees waving and bending in the wind and great breakers rolling up over the sandy beach But the rain wasn't the worst that was to happen After a while there came a strange shivering feeling in the rocks beneath them It grew stronger and stronger till the whole earth shook and trembled Hawkeye and limberlake had felt earthquakes before but never one like this It seemed as if the world was shaking itself to pieces They huddled closer together and clasped their arms round the twins Oh, shriek limberlake The water gods are angry to find out the secret of the sun She and Hawkeye prayed to them at the top of their lungs Sparrows Oh, sparrows They cried as they prayed There came a long, fearful cracking noise and the sound of falling rocks It was as if the thunder had fallen to the earth and were rumbling round over it A gigantic wave came roaring against the rocks as if it would dash them to pieces The winds borrowed their hands in their mother's lap and shook almost as if they were having little earthquakes of their own The great wave marked the crest of the storm After that the winds grew gradually less violent The rain ceased and the waves crept farther and farther away down the beach The earth seized its trembling The clouds rolled away like great curtains and the thunder went grumbling off toward the west When the great dawn came over the wet earth and the birds began to sing limber like raised her head Look! she said And listen! The birds are singing! I thought the world had come to an end but it is still here and so are we Then they all opened their eyes which they had kept shut for terror A wonderful sight met them Over the water toward the east the sky was blushing like a rose Little pink clouds were hurrying themselves in the blue sky Then the great fiery red disc of the sun rose slowly out of the water They watched it in odd silence as it climbed higher and higher into the blue Then, trembling again with fear, the little group of watchers prostrated themselves before it in a blind impulse of worship When the sun was out of the water and up again in its regular place in the sky all nature seemed so gay and joyous that the twins and their father and mother forgot the fears of the night and began to think about breakfast They found it in the hollow of a rock far down the gorge The giant wave which had so frightened them had left a fish flapping about in a little pool of water When she saw it, limber legs shouted The water gods aren't angry after all See! they have sent us a fine fish for our breakfast Hawkeye quickly climbed down the steep rocks to the pool and his hands killed it and brought it back to limber legs in the twins While they were eating it, limber legs seemed to be thinking hard She wasn't used to thinking and she screwed up her face almost as if it hurt her At last she said Listen to me! we now know what no one else in the world knows We have found out what lies beyond the blue hills We have gone to the end of the world and have looked over the edge and have discovered the secret of the sun that it hides beneath the waters during the darkness There is no more for us to learn Perhaps it would not be safe to know more even if there were more to know Let us go home There is more to be learned about the hunting said Hawkeye We can find that out on our way back said limber leg If there are going to be any more earthquakes I'd rather be in the cave anyway said Firefly Besides, I don't like the rain pouring over me It's as bad as falling in the river Firetop said I'd like to get back to tell Squirtos what I've seen He's all the time telling about the wonderful things he can do He's never seen the three people nor had an earthquake in his whole life I guess I can make his eyes stick out Hawkeye said nothing but he picked up the wet skins shook them, bound them with tongs and tied them to the shoulders of the others Then each took his own weapons and they were ready to start From the point where they had spent the night a chain of hills ran back inland They followed these hills to the north for some miles and then, still keeping to the hilltops turned toward the west In the late afternoon under Hawkeye's skillful leadership they came again to the place where they had crossed the Isthmus that connected them with the mainland Hawkeye was some distance ahead of the others when he came out upon the high bluff and overlooked the channel and the Isthmus Suddenly he stopped with a cry of astonishment and stood still, his eyes staring Limba-like and the twins rushed to his side What is the matter? they cried For the answer Hawkeye only pointed Before them there was nothing but open water A whole section of the neck of land which they had crossed only the day before had been swallowed up by the sea Where it had been a mile of blue water had now sparkled in the sun They were completely shut off from mainland When she realized what had happened Limba-like sat heavily down on a log The world isn't the same after all She cried It's broken Part of it has sunk beneath the waters Won't it ever get mended? Asked Firefly anxiously Shouldn't we ever get back to the cave then? cried Firetop No Limba-like We'll have to stay here till we die Firefly whimpered a little and crept close to her mother on the log but Firetop noticed that his father wasn't crying so he swallowed several large lumps in his throat and sat up straight For some time they stayed on the bluff and looked down the steep banks of broken earth and rocks into the deep water below Great logs were floating about and huge trees uprooted from the banks were lying with their tops in the water At last Limba-like sat in a discouraged voice Well, what shall we do? The first thing to do, said Hawkeye is to go down to the beach and see what we can find to eat Beyond the steep cliffs on which they stood there was a bay with a wide beach Beyond the bay, great rocks extended in a chain out into the water If you have been to England you may have passed those very rocks They're called the needles Hawkeye and Limba-like in the twins climbed down to the beach They were so hungry that they were almost ready to eat sand and pebbles like chickens if they could find nothing else But there was plenty of seaweed on the beach and they found little muscles clinging to it They ate both the seaweed and the muscles as they walked along See all the little holes in the sand cried Firetop when they were quite far out on the beach Fire spurts out at them every time I step Let's dig down and see what does it said Firefly Maybe it's something good to eat They took a large shell and scraped away the sand They had never seen clams before and Firefly got her finger pinched Hawkeye opened a shell and ate one He smacked his lips and then he said Dig as many as you can while I make off fire Our supper is right here The twins work like beavers while Hawkeye and Limberleg made a driftwood fire far back on the beach in a sheltered place near the cliffs Then Limberleg made a bed of seaweed in the coals and put in the clams as fast as the children brought them up from the sand They must have steamed at least half a bushel They ate every one and I'm quite sure this was the very first clam bake that anyone ever had in this world As they rested beside the fire after supper they began to feel more cheerful Hawkeye said Anyway, we should never be hungry while we stay here Perhaps we should like it just as well as we like the forest cave Then Limberleg had a happy thought Do you know? She said I believe the water gods were lonesome and are glad that we came They don't want us to go away again and so they made the piece of land fall into the water to keep us here Remember about that fish? I'm not afraid I think they need to take care of us And that was such a comforting thought that they went to sleep and slept soundly all night beside their driftwood fire End of chapter 6 Chapter number 7 of The Cave Twins This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information on how to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitchperkins Chapter 7 The Island If I were to tell you all the things that the twins and their father and mother did on that island it would make a book as big as a dictionary So I can only tell you a very little about the wonderful days that followed In the first place they soon found out that it was a wonderful island Small as it was it had the most astonishing things in it There were great cliffs and jagged rocks along its coast in some places and there were beautiful broad sandy beaches right next to them The waves had washed holes clear through some of these great rocks and left them standing there like huge ruins The beaches were covered with starfish and beautiful shells and seaweed and crabs and jellyfish and stones of all colors The twins found something new every time they played there Inland there were hills and valleys with sparkling streams of clear water running through them There were sunny open meadows where bison grazed In the woods there were deer and small game of all kinds but though Hawkeye went everywhere in the days that followed the earthquake he never saw a sign of a cave bear or of tigers or lions or any of the more savage beasts which made life in their old home so full of terror Neither did he find a trace This season was early on the warm southern side of the island The wild fruit trees were already in blossom making the air sweet with fragrance and giving promise of fruit later on There were all sorts of wild flowers and all kinds of trees in the woods and everything was so beautiful and seemed so safe that it was easy to believe as Limberleg said that the water gods did mean to take care of them One day when Hawkeye and Limberleg had gone to your hunting Firetop and Firefly climbed a high cliff on the east coast to hunt for pigeon's eggs From the top of the hill they could see for miles and miles in every direction The cliffs were on a long point of land and behind the point was a deep bay where all sorts of things could be picked up when the tide was low In a cleft of the rock Firetop found a nest with four eggs in it and Firefly were sitting on the top of the hill, eating them When Firefly saw a queer black spot part way down the cliff toward the east What's that? she said, pointing Let's go and find out said Firetop They climbed cautiously down to a lower level and worked their way through the bushes and vines which covered the sloping side of the bluff It must be somewhere near here said Firetop But I can't see it It's hidden behind the bushes Whatever it is Bebe was a bear and he has moved said Firefly, looking fearfully over her shoulder Of course they could not be quite sure there were no such creatures on the hillan Who? said Firetop I'm not afraid Come along They hunted up and down in sideways for some distance along the bluff and were almost ready to give up in a branch and he fell backward down the slope He rolled over two or three times and when he stopped rolling and sat up he was looking directly into the mouth of a great dark cave A lot of stones and dirt came tumbling down with him and with that and some noise that Firetop made himself there was quite a disturbance The cave was full of owls and when the stones and dirt and a boy dropped in on them suddenly they were very much surprised No fewer than six of them flew out to the cave and as they were blinded by the light they pumped right into Firetop Those still in the cave flew about and weed their wings against the rocks This made a terrible sound in the hollow cave and besides that they hooted Firetop had never met an owl at such short range before and his red hair stood straight up on his head he was so scared He beat the owls off with his arms and yelled at the top of his lungs Firefly heard him plunging through the bushes after him In another minute she too had fallen through the same place and landed beside Firetop By the time they had picked themselves up the owls had flown to a shelf on the rock and there they were stood in a row staring solemnly at the twins They neither moved nor spoke Somehow the twins expected them to speak and say something very reproving They looked just that way The twins didn't wait to find out however They went crashing through the bushes and back to the top of the rock as fast as they could That afternoon when Hawkeye and Limberlake came home bringing a young deer on their shoulders the children told him about the cave and pointed it out from the top of the rock Hawkeye at once threw down the deer and made a fire Then he took a flaming torch in one hand and his spear in the other and started down the bluff How did you get to the cave? We went partway down the bluff and fell in said Firetop Hawkeye laughed I'll see if I can't find a better way he said He crept cautiously down the steep slope and when we reached the cave he held his torch above his head so as to lightly inside of it and with his other hand he held his spear ready to kill any wild animal that might be living in it It was just a sort of cave I didn't expect to find wolves at least The owls came hooting out again just as they had when Firetop visited them but nothing else stirred and Hawkeye went bowling in The cave was quite large and as it was in a chalk cliff it was white and clean except where the owls had made their nests Hawkeye didn't like the look of the owls He didn't like their staring ways So he tore up their nests and threw them down the bluff Then he came out to the cave and began to climb about on the slope as if he was searching for something It was not long before he gave a shout a joy and back on to a limbo leg and the twins who were watching him eagerly They came bounding down the hillside at once Hawkeye met them at the cave entrance He is our home He said pointing to the cave Nothing could be better I have found a spring of fresh water nearby It is safer than any place we have ever found Go in and see Limbo leg went in and looked all about She was just as pleased with it as Hawkeye was She didn't even say Let's see if we can't find another cave that suits us better She just threw her dead skin down on the floor of the cave and laid her spear on one of the shelving rocks and began to live there right away They always had their weapons with them All of them There was nothing more to do but start a fire at the cave mouth and begin to get supper It was just as easy as moving into a furnished flat Hawkeye went back to the top of the hill and brought down the deer He also brought some live firebrands from the fire he had kindled With these, he started a new fire at the cave mouth While Limbo leg cut up the meat and the twins broiled great pieces of it over the coals Hawkeye took his stone axe from the cave entrance to the spring and another to the hill top The paths were so hidden by tall weeds and bushes that they could run through them without being seen When at last they sat down beside the fire at the cave entrance to eat their first dinner of roast, venison in their new home they felt as rich as Well, it's really quite impossible to tell you just how rich they did feel End of chapter 7 Chapter 8 Of The Cave Twins This is a LibriVox recording All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org The Cave Twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Chapter 8 The Raft When Limbo leg woke the next morning the bright sunshine was pouring into the cave, lighting up the very farthest corner of it The vines which overhung the entrance were sleeping in the breeze and their shadows were dancing gaily on the chalk floor Limbo leg sat up and looked out, from the door she could see miles and miles of open water to the north where the shore is living land Below was a beautiful sandy beach and a little way from the shore there were rocks sticking out of the water gulls were veiling and screaming about the rocks Limbo leg took the guard and went down the little green path to the spring for water When she came back the others were still sleeping so she crept out through the path to the hilltop and gathered sticks to replenish the fire She was already broiling the venison when the others woke At breakfast she said to Hawkeye I believe I will stay in this cave today It is such a lot of work to start a new fire every day and I can keep this one burning Besides the twins must have new skins pretty soon The hawks first they are now wearing or getting shabby I will cure the deer skin we brought home last night for them We must get more skins said Hawkeye We shall need them when the cold weather comes I will get the meat and you can cook and cure the skins and tend the fire Then Hawkeye went off hunting to be gone all day The twins ran down to the beach and went in waiting They were not so afraid of the water The fish tumbling about in the waves and they didn't know whether they ate children or not Probably the fish didn't know either They had never had any to try Anyway the twins thought they would not find out what their tastes were in the matter and so they stayed near the shore or at least they meant to Ever since the great storm there had been logs and broken tree branches floating about in the water and on this morning the twins arrived near the beach line They were not very large and the twins thought it would be fun to play with them They waited out and pulled them into the shore Let's write on these the way we wrote that log in the river said firetop Firefly was always ready to do whatever firetop did so she got us tried one and firetop mounted the other and they went bouncing along through the water half floating and half walking on the sandy bottom It was great fun but the long men scratched their legs so they drew the logs nearer shore and tried to pull off the branches but some of them were too tough We can twist them together said firetop that will keep them out of the way and maybe the logs won't roll so much They twisted the branches of the two logs roughly together so they could not stick down into the water and then mounted their seahorses again and rode away They were delighted to find that now the logs behaved much better and they grew so bold that they ventured into the deeper water They had made a wonderful plaything All the morning they rolled the logs and when the tide began to come in they had the best time of all It picked up a little raft and floated the children screaming the joy far up the beach on a long low rolling wave Limba leg had been so busy making a frame of sticks to stretch the deer skin on that she had paid no attention to the twins but when she heard their screams all of the cavemen looked out on the beach When she saw what they were doing she came running down the bluff She ran so fast she was all out of breath but she gasped out You nutty careless children You must not do that anymore ever You will suddenly be eaten by a big fish or get drowned or maybe both if you do the cave twins and not knowing any better they said aww mother you've been doing it all morning and never got drowned or eaten up once try to yourself and just see how easy it is but Limba leg was very unreasonable she only said if you do it again you know what will happen and start it back up the bluff when she was out of sight right up said let's do it once more she won't see us This shows just how educated and disobedient cave children could be they pushed their raft out into the water and got on board they were at the very farthest point from shore when suddenly Limba leg came right out of the bushes and looked at them when they saw how the twins were very much embarrassed they thought perhaps they had better stay offshore a while they reached their feet down and dug their toes in the sand but the tide was still coming in and in spite of all they could do they lifted them up and carried them right to where Limba leg stood she looked at them very sternly she had a switch in her hand she said I told you what would happen I shall have to punish you but it hurts me worse than it hurts you I suppose that was the very first time any pair never said that then she began to use the switch on their bare legs perhaps you never have been switched on your vet bare legs so I'll explain that it hurts firetop and parfly didn't understand how it could hurt her more than it did them however they didn't say so they just ran for the cave as fast as they could go but I've already told you that Limba leg could run faster than anybody and she kept right up with them all the way when they were in the cave again anyone passing by would certainly have thought from the sounds that a pack of wild cats lived there Limba leg said to them now you see I will be minded and then she made them sit still in the corner of the cave until she had finished the wooden frame and stretched the deer skin over it I suppose that if she had been a reasonable and kind mother she would have let them go on and get drowned or eaten up by a shark but she wasn't and so they weren't or else you can very well see that this story would have had to end right here when Hawkeye came home that afternoon with two live rabbits which he had sneered the twins were so delighted with them that they forgot all about their troubles at the morning can we keep the rabbits alive they begged how can you keep them said Hawkeye they'll run away we can tie them by their legs said fire top we can cut sticks and drive them down in the ground and keep the rabbits inside the sticks cried firefly what will you cut them with asked Hawkeye with your stone axe Firefly answered as quick as a wink Hawkeye looked very solemn will you be sure to bring it back to the cave if I let you take my axe he said of course cried the twins they took the axe at once and rushed out to begin the fence of sticks while Hawkeye tied the rabbits by their hind legs to a little tree near the cave when they finished the fence the next day I regret to say that the stone axe was nowhere to be found and it was three days before it turned up under a bush where they had cut the sticks while the children were busy fencing in the rabbits Limberlake told Hawkeye about the raft you can see it down there on the beach she said I really think it was very clever of them to make such a thing but of course I didn't tell him so of course not said Hawkeye now wasn't that just like parents pretty soon while Limberlake was cooking supper he went to the beach by himself and took a look at the raft then he dragged it down to the water and tried it himself he tried it several times he didn't say anything about it when he got back to the cave but the twins saw how very clean his skin looked and they nodded knowingly at each other they had their suspicions End of Chapter 8 Chapter number 9 of the cave twins this is a Librebox recording the Librebox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit Librebox.org The cave twins by Lucy Fitch Perkins Chapter 9 The Surprise What with fish and clams and crabs and perivincles and roots and game and berries and wild plums and all sorts of other good things to eat as the summer came on the twins and their father and mother began to grow fat Limberlake didn't go hunting as she used to there was no need of it now for Hawkeye could bring home more game than they needed so she'd stayed by the cave and kept the earth fire bright and cooked the food and cured the skins and looked after the children the twins kept the rabbits and fed them every day with fresh leaves and roots and by and by there were six baby rabbits in the cage too we might make the cage larger and have more rabbits said Hawkeye and then in the winter we should always have food right at hand what a good idea said Limberlake the children can feed them yes said Hawkeye if they don't forget it I'll see that they don't forget it said Limberlake the twins heard her say it I think probably she will said firetop he had great confidence in his mother will what said firefly we'll see that we don't forget it said firetop and against right it did by July they had a large enclosure fenced off and ever so many rabbits in it for cave people they were now very rich they had a fine cave home plenty of skins and plenty of food Limberlake had made herself a good needle out of bone and had sewed nice soft deer skins into clothes for them all ready for cold weather she had even made beautiful necklaces of shells or firefly and herself one summer evening as they sat looking at the moon Limberlake said you see I was right about the water gods there haven't been any more earthquakes and we have everything we want to eat and plenty of warm skins and a fine cave to live in there's just one thing more I want I don't care much for society but I should like more people to talk to I wish Granny and the rest were here said firetop I should like to show square toes are rabbits and I should like to show Robin my necklace firefly it's no use wishing there's all that water Hawkeye as usual said nothing but all the time he was thinking hard about the floating log that the twins had crossed the river on and a raft they had made of the two floating trees it was not long after this that Limberlake began to notice that though he was gone all day every day Hawkeye often came home without game one day she heard the sound of its wind down a tree but she thought nothing more about it after that she heard the sound of the axe every day for many days it seemed to come from the baby behind the point of land at last she said to him what in the world are you doing with your axe I hear such a pounding every day Hawkeye did not tell her what he was making he only said maybe someday when I get it done you will see the twins heard the axe too they thought about their minds they were going to find out what was going on the next day as they were playing in their cave back of their bluff at low tide Firefly saw a little column of smoke rising out of the woods near the place where a small stream flowed into the bay she also heard the axe the sound seemed to come from somewhere near the smoke she pointed the smoke out to fire top and the two children ran swiftly around the beach and up the little stream for a short distance there they found Hawkeye he was working away at the log of a good sized tree which he had cut down he had made the log almost flat on one side by chipping off pieces with his axe and he had shaped the ends a little now he was hollowing out the inside he was doing this partly with his axe and partly by burning it Hawkeye was working so busily he did not know that anyone was near him until fire top called out what are you making father Hawkeye stopped shopping it's a secret he said if I tell you you will tell no we won't anyway there's no one to tell but mother said firefly she's just the one I want to keep it from said Hawkeye it's a surprise oh well if it's a surprise of course we won't tell said fire top do you know what it is or is it a surprise to you too asked firefly maybe it is said Hawkeye are you sure yet when I get the inside of this log all cut out I'm gonna see if it will float without rolling over maybe I can get in it and make it go where I want it to if I can then all sorts of things may happen but you must not tell mother why? asked firefly wouldn't she let you play with it maybe not said Hawkeye you better be careful said firefly shaking her head or you know what will happen Hawkeye left and went on shopping every day after that the twins followed their father to the little cove and watched him work every evening they nearly burst trying not to tell one day when they went down to the cove they found their father taking out the last chips from the inside of the log when the tide comes in it backs up into the stream said Hawkeye and the next time it does it I'm going to push the log into the water and then out into the bay if it flows right side up how will you push it asked firetop are you going to let your legs hang over and hitch yourself along that way I shan't need any turtles to bite me to make me go anyway said Hawkeye I'm going to push it with the pole the pole was already in the log the tide began to flow in as soon as the water was deep enough Hawkeye pushed the log into the water it floated of course Hawkeye waded along beside it into deeper water then he undertook to get aboard but he put his weight too much on one side it rolled over and he rolled with it and went splash on its stomach right into the water firetop and firefly danced on the beach with glee Hawkeye got up all dripping wet and tried again this time he stepped into the middle of the boat he got safely in but it was still very tippy so he put sand in the bottom of it and made it heavier then he tried again he was a proud moment when at last he took his pole and pushed off I'm going to keep close to the shore and go around the point if I can he said the children tore up the bank and over the hill to get back to the cave in time to see him coming Lemberleig was weaving a berry basket out of strips of bark when the children came racing into the cave they were so excited they couldn't keep still what in the world does that matter with you? cried Lemberleig at last you've been running to the edge of the bluffing bag again ever since you came in what are you looking at? at that at that shrieked firetop pointing down to the water there coming close to the shore around the bend was Hawkeye in the very first boat that was ever made in that part of the world at least Lemberleig was so astonished that she couldn't speak she dashed down the side of the bluff without stopping for the path and the twins came tumbling after her Lemberleig got there first she always did and when the twins reached the waters that she was already in the boat with Hawkeye she was certainly a brave woman End of chapter 9