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pon a flint anvil。
He was an ugly…looking individual at best； yet I was hard up for company； so I put my coat down； and； seating myself on a log opposite； proceeded to open my wallet； and take out the frugal stores the woodman had given me that morning。
The man was seated upon the ground holding a stone anvil between his feet； while with his hands he turned and chipped with great skill a spear…head he was making out of flint。 It was about the only pastime he had； and his little yellow eyes gleamed with a craftsman's pleasure； his shaggy round shoulders were bent over the task； the chips flew in quick particles； and the wood echoed musically as the arti… ficer watched the thing under his hands take form and fashion。 Presently I spoke； and the worker looked up； not too pleased at being thus interrupted。 But he was easy of propitiation； and over a handful of dried raisins communi… cative。
How； I asked； knowing a craftsman's craft is often nearest to his heart； how was it such things as that he chipped came to be thought of by him and his？ Whereon the woodman； having spit out the raisin…stones and wiped his fingers on his fur； said in substance that the first weapon was fashioned when the earliest ape hurled the first stone in wrath。
〃But； chum；〃 I said； taking up his half…finished spear and touching the razor…fine edge with admiring caution； 〃from hurling the crude pebble to fashioning such as this is a long stride。 Who first edged and pointed the primitive malice？ What man with the soul of a thousand unborn fighters in him notched and sharpened your natural rock？〃
Whereon the chipper grinned； and answered that； when the woodmen had found stones that would crack skulls； it came upon them presently that they would crack nuts as well。 And cracking nuts between two stones one day a flint shattered； and there on the grass was the golden secret of the edgethe thing that has made man what he is。
〃Yet again； good fellow；〃 I queried； 〃even this happy chance only gives us a weapon； sharp； no doubt； and cal… culated to do a hundred services for any ten the original pebble could have done； but still unhandled； small in force； imperfectnow tell me； which of your amiable ancestors first put a handle to the fashioned flint； and how he thought of it？〃
The workman had done his flake by now； and wrapping it in a bit of skin； put it carefully in his belt before turning to answer my question。
〃Who made the first handle for the first flint； you of the many questions？ She didshe； the Mother；〃 he suddenly cried； patting the earth with his brown hand； and working himself up as he spoke； 〃made it in her heart for us her first…born。 See； here is such as the first handled weapon that ever came out of darkness；〃 and he snatched from the ground； where it had lain hidden under his fox…skin cloak； a heavy club。 I saw in an instant how it was。 The club had been a sapling； and the sapling's roots had grown about and circled with a splendid grip a lump of native flint。 A woodman had pulled the sapling； found the flint； and fashioned the two in a moment of happy inspiration； the one to an axe…head and the other to a handle； as they lay Nature…welded！
〃This； I say； is the firstthe first！〃 screamed the old fellow as though I were contradicting him； thumping the ground with his weapon； and working himself up to a fury as its black magic entered his being。 〃This is the first： with this I slew Hetter and Gur； and those who plundered my hiding… places in the woods； with this I have killed a score of others； bursting their heads； and cracking their bones like dry sticks。 With thiswith this〃 but here his rage rendered him in… articulate； he stammered and stuttered for a minute； and then as the killing fury settled on him his yellow teeth shut with a sudden snap； while through them his breath rattled like wind through dead pine branches in December； the sinews sat up on his hands as his fingers tightened upon the axe…heft like the roots of the same pines from the ground when winter rain has washed the soil from beneath them； his small eyes gleamed like baleful planets； every hair upon his shaggy back grew stiff and erectanother minute and my span were ended。
With a leap from where I sat I flew at that hairy beast； and sinking my fists deep in his throttle； shook him till his eyes blazed with delirious fires。 We waltzed across the short green… sward； and in and about the tree…trunks； shaking； pulling； and hitting as we went； till at last I felt the man's vigour dy… ing within him； a little more shaking； a sudden twist； and he was lying on the ground before me； senseless and civil！ That is the worst of some orators； I thought to myself； as I gloomily gathered up the scattered fragments of my lunch； they never know when they have said enough； and are too apt to be carried away by their own arguments。
That inhospitable village was left behind in full belief the mountain looming in the south could be reached before nightfall； while the road to its left would serve as a sure guide to food and shelter for the evening。 But； as it turned out； the morning's haze developed a strong mist ere the afternoon was half gone； through which it was impossible to see more than twenty yards。 My hill loomed gigantic for a time with a tantalising appearance of being only a mile or two ahead； then wavered； became visionary； and finally disap… peared as completely as though the forest mist had drunk it up bodily。
There was still the road to guide me； a fairly well… beaten track twining through the glades； but even the best of highways are difficult in fog； and this one was compli… cated by various side paths； made probably by hunters or bark…cutters； and without compass or guide marks it was necessary to advance with extreme caution； or get helplessly mazed。
An hour's steady tramping brought me nowhere in particu… lar； and stopping for a minute to consider； I picked a few wild fruit； such as my wood…cutter friend had eaten； from an overhanging bush； and in so doing slipped； the soil having now become damp； and in falling broke a branch off。 The incident was only important from what follows。 Picking myself up； perhaps a little shaken by the jolt； I set off again upon what seemed the plain road； and being by this time displeased by my surroundings； determined to make a push for 〃civilization〃 before the rapidly gathering darkness set… tled down。
Hands in pockets and collar up； I marched forward at a good round pace for an hour； constantly straining eyes for a sight of the hill and ears for some indications of living beings in the deathly hush of the shrouded woods； and at the end of that time； feeling sure habitations must now be near； arrived at what looked like a little open space； some… how seeming rather familiar in its vague outlines。
Where had I seen such a place before？ Sauntering round the margin； a bush with a broken branch sud… denly attracted my attentiona broken bush with a long slide in the mud below it； and the stamp of Navy boots in the soft turf！ I glared at those signs for a moment； then with an exclamation of chagrin recognised them only too wellit was the bush whence I had picked the fruit； and the mark of my fall。 An hour