The Tree-Dwellers Part 11

Bodo grew to be a large boy.

He made many friends among the Tree-dwellers, but he liked One-Ear best of all.

The boys liked to hunt together.

When they had enough to eat they liked to play.

One night as they were watching a herd of wild cattle, a young cow caught their eye.

She was running down toward the marsh.

The boys wondered why she was going.

They chased her down the trail.

When the cow saw what the boys were doing she started off through the underbrush.

It was no longer safe to follow, so the boys gave up the chase.

Darkness came on.

The boys dropped their clubs and climbed a tree, where they spent the night.

They slept until the break of day.

As they were rubbing their sleepy eyes, they heard a queer sound close by.

"What is that?" said Bodo.

The boys listened.

All was still.

But they were sure that some animal was near.

There was a clump of alders within a stone's throw.

Perhaps a bear was hiding there.

The boys were eager to find out, but they knew better than to rush into danger.

So they waited and listened.

All was quiet.

Bodo threw a stick.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "_They crept up softly and peeped into the alders_"]

Not a sound could be heard.

He called out.

Still there was no sound.

The boys slipped down the tree and picked up their clubs.

They crept up softly and peeped into the alders.

"There's nothing there," said One-Ear.

Bodo knew better.

He noticed a hump among the leaves.

He reached out his hand and touched it.

It was a little calf that had been hid there by its mother.

It scarcely moved as Bodo touched it.

Its mother had taught it to lie still.

Many people might have pa.s.sed it by.

But Bodo had sharp eyes, and besides he was very hungry.

So the boys killed the calf and began to eat the raw flesh.

They ate until they were satisfied.

Then they played among the trees.

THINGS TO DO

_Choose somebody to be Bodo and somebody to be One-Ear, and let them show how the boys found the calf._ _Model a calf in clay._

XXI.

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

Why were all of the animals afraid of the rhinoceros?

How could the little hyenas hunt the big-nosed rhinoceros?

What could the Tree-dwellers learn by watching the wild animals hunt?

_How the Hyenas Hunted_

One day Bodo and One-Ear climbed a fir tree near the edge of a cliff.

They were watching a big-nosed rhinoceros.

It had just rooted up an oak tree with its twin-tusked snout.

Now it was tearing the trunk into strips as we tear a stalk of celery.

The boys watched it grinding the wood with its great teeth.

[Ill.u.s.tration: _The big-nosed rhinoceros_]

They were glad that they were safe in the fir tree.

They watched the creature in silence.

Suddenly Bodo gave One-Ear a nudge.

One-Ear looked up.

Bodo put his finger on his lips, then pointed toward the underbrush.

One-Ear stared with open mouth.

A whole pack of hyenas was on the cliff.

They were sneaking along toward the rhinoceros.

What hungry-looking creatures they were!

How their eyes gleamed!

The boys wondered what the hyenas would do.

They watched to see.

The big-nosed rhinoceros went stupidly browsing along the edge of the cliff.

He did not see the hyenas.

The hyenas had learned that the rhinoceros could not see far away, and now they were taking advantage of this.

They were too cowardly to risk a fair fight.

Even the mammoth and sabre-tooth did not like to encounter the big-nosed rhinoceros.

Even they could not pierce his thick, heavy skin.

Even they feared his twin-tusked snout.

The hyenas crept softly from bush to bush.

They kept their eyes fastened upon the rhinoceros.

As he stepped on the very edge of the cliff they sprang out and began to growl.

The rhinoceros turned fiercely upon them.

He tossed one of the hyenas over the cliff.

As he did this he lost his footing.

The huge creature stumbled and fell.