new each
animal by its track. Each sound of the woods, each patch of light,
they learned to read as you read a book.

#THINGS TO DO#

_Name things you will have to learn before you are full-grown._

_What kind of tests do you have to take?_

_Tell a story of the way the Cave-men tested Fleetfoot and Flaker._

_Tell a story of all that you think happened the day that Fleetfoot
learned that Greybeard was Nimble-finger._

_Name the birds you can tell by their song. Name those you can tell
by sight._

_Draw one of these pictures:_--
_Testing Fleetfoot and Flaker._
_Fleetfoot and Flaker in the workshop._
_Fleetfoot discovers Nimble-finger._

[Illustration: "_Then their antlers crashed in a swift charge._"]

XXIV

THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

What animals would the Cave-men see just before winter? Which of
these live in herds? How are the leaders of the herds chosen?

What kind of a voice does the reindeer have when it is
good-natured?

What kind of a voice does it have when it is angry?

_Fleetfoot and Flaker see a Combat_

One day just before winter, Fleetfoot and Flaker went out on the
hills. The reindeer were coming back and the boys wanted to see them.

They had gone only a little way, when they saw two handsome stags.
Each wanted to be leader of the reindeer herd, and so they were trying
their strength.

The stags stood head to head, their red eyes blazing like fire. Their
hair stood on end. They stamped their hoofs on the hard ground. They
hissed fierce blasts to and fro.

Slowly and carefully they changed their position, still keeping head
to head. Each reindeer knew that the lances of the other could strike
deadly blows. Each reindeer had fought too many battles to expose
himself to such blows.

And so the stags eyed each other, getting more angry all the while.
Louder and fiercer sounded their blasts. Then their antlers crashed in
a swift charge.

They pulled and pushed with all their might in a life and death
struggle. Not until their strength was exhausted did they stop a
moment to rest.

Then they tried to draw apart, but they found they could not do it.
Each stag was held a prisoner by the antlers of the other. In vain the
handsome creatures pulled and pushed. Each was held fast. And the
boys, seeing their chance, secured both of the reindeer.

Perhaps it was well for the reindeer that the boy