tling abruptness and they entered on a rolling
plain which after a while became more and more rocky as the upland
sweep began. Quite suddenly Ugg stopped, his head tilting to one side
in a listening attitude and one hand held in warning.

The others, with the two strangers in their midst, crowded close.

"Sobar!" Ugg grunted hoarsely. "He is after our young and women.
Listen...."

They heard it then, shouts and screams from up above. But what was
going on was hidden from them. Ahead lay a narrow cleft between two
sides of sheer rock some fifty feet high. The way on the right was
clear though at a strong angle. Ugg motioned for Allerdyce to follow
and the two climbed to the top of the rock where they lay on their
bellies and looked slightly downward at the scene. Ahead were some
dozen caves and a common compound. Men were struggling here and there
but for the most part those were few. The screams came from the caves.
In a matter of seconds men appeared, dragging after them the women and
some children. When a woman failed to go along too readily or when one
of the men lost his patience, the club was used. Ugg nudged Allerdyce
and motioned with a silent shake of the head for them to return.

"... It is the tribe of Sobar," Ugg explained to his men. "They must
have learned I sent my son, Ugg the Younger, on a hunting expedition
with most of the tribe and that we few went on the hunt for the
saber-tooth. They are too many for us...."

"But they must come through the cleft in the rock," Allerdyce said.
"We can lie in wait for them. Hidden, they cannot know how many we are
and when the spears are thrown they will think they have been
ambushed."

"But there are only the few of us," Ugg objected.

"Even a few will be enough."

But Ugg had an even better idea:

"They will not fear us. But the Spirits.... They will run from you
after they see how little their weapons do against you...."

Now we're in for it, Allerdyce thought. Right in the middle. If we
don't, these boys will let us have it. If we do, the others will. And
what is worse we can't ask for weapons.... H'm! Maybe.... An idea had
come to him, a silly idea. Yet if it succeeded....

"Come on, Ed," he said, turning to Finster. "Follow my lead, fellah.
Otherwise...."

He didn't have to finish. The other understood.

* * * * *

Allerdyce felt the quiver in his legs and arms as they reached the top
of the cleft. One look and he