the direction which they had taken it was evident
that they were fleeing back to their own country.

The Chief ordered instant pursuit. To this Grom demurred, not only
because the fugitives had obtained such a start--as was shown by the
state of the trail--but because he dreaded to leave the Caves so long
unguarded. He foresaw the possibility of another band of invaders
surprising the Caves during the absence of this most efficient
fighting force. But the Chief overruled him.

For several hours was the pursuit kept up; and from the trail it
appeared, not only that Mawg was leading his followers cleverly, but
also that the Bow-legs were making no mean speed. The pursuers were
come by now to near the head of the valley, a region with which they
were little familiar. It was a broken country and well fitted for
ambuscade, where a lesser force, well posted and driven to bay, might
well secure a deadly advantage. The tribe was too weak to risk its few
fighting men in any uncertain contest; and the Chief, yielding slowly
to Grom's arguments, was on the point of giving the order to turn
back, when a harsh scream of terror from just ahead, beyond a shoulder
of rock, brought the line to a halt.

Waving their followers into concealment on either side of the trail,
the Chief and Grom stole forward and peered cautiously around the
turn.

Straight before them fell away a steep and rugged slope. Midway of the
descent, with his back to a rock, crouched one of the Bow-legs,
battling frantically with his club to keep off the attack of a pair of
leopards. The man was kneeling upon one knee, with the other leg
trailed awkwardly behind him. It seemed an altogether difficult and
disadvantageous position in which to do battle.

"The fool!" said Bawr. "He doesn't know how to fight a leopard."

"He's hurt. His leg is broken!" said Grom. And straightway, a novel
purpose flashing into his far-seeing brain, he ran leaping down the
slope to the rescue, waving his fire-stick to a blaze as he went.

The Chief looked puzzled for a moment, wondering why the deliberate
Grom should trouble to do what it was plain the leopards would do for
him most effectually. But he dreaded the chance of an ambuscade.
Shouting to the men behind to come on, he waved his own fire-stick to
a blaze, and followed Grom.

One of the leopards had already succeeded in closing in upon the
wounded Bow-leg; but at the sight of Grom and the Chief leaping down
upon them the