. Still he did not see his enemies.
With careful aim, Invar launched his weapon. The stone-tipped spear
struck the giant's groin, but the haft broke and the head was barely
buried in the flesh. The Neanderthaler pricked up his pointed, lobeless
ears, and located the source of the shout. By bending back his torso, he
looked upward. With a roar of rage he started up the slope, a huge flint
smiting-stone grasped in each hairy paw.

Anak and Invar dashed up the slope ahead of him. The keenness of the
Chief Hunter's powers of observation was attested by the fact that they
easily increased their distance from their pursuer. As they ran, Invar's
foot dislodged a boulder which thundered down the slope. The
Neanderthaler did not see it coming until it was too late to dodge. The
stone took him full in the chest and he rolled down the slope, a shower
of smaller stones going with him.

He smashed against a tree. With shouts of triumph, Anak and Invar
bounded down the slope. The Neanderthaler was dying, his chest crushed
in. Invar raised a spear and drove it at his heart. The weapon struck
fair, but again the head of the spear came off the shaft. A sudden
thought illuminated Anak's brain.

"Esle!" he cried in rage. "She had our weapons last night!"

* * * * *

He studied the two spears remaining in his hand. Each of them had the
hide lashing which bound the head to the haft cut through. The weapons
were useless.

Invar's face paled. From up the slope a roar assailed their ears. The
female was rushing down at them, smiting-stones in hand.

"Fly, Invar!" cried Anak. "Run up the slope and throw down stones at
her. I will hold her for a moment."

"Invar stays with his friend!" cried the boy stubbornly as he gripped
his useless throwing-spear.

"Run up the slope!" stormed Anak. "It is our only chance. Remember how
the male died!"

Slowly the idea penetrated Invar's brain. With a shout he dashed away.
He circled the oncoming female and got above her. Anak hurled one of his
crippled spears. It struck her full in the chest, but made only a flesh
wound as the handle dropped away. The female roared with rage and hurled
herself at the hunter. Anak leaped to one side and ran for dear life.
The clumsy female checked her rush and turned after him. He rapidly
gained on her. A shout from above reached him.

"Run to your left, Anak!"

The hunter swerved sharply to his left. Invar threw his shoulder again