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else？〃
〃O man； have I not told you I was mad？〃 Nimrod replied； with a slight
manifestation of sensitiveness。 〃Mad clean through； what of Klooch and
the gun。 Also； was I not a hunter？ And was this not new and most
unusual game？ A hand…axe？ Pish！ I did not need it。 Listen； and you
shall hear of a hunt； such as might have happened in the youth of the
world when cavemen rounded up the kill with hand…axe of stone。 Such
would have served me as well。 Now is it not a fact that man can outwalk
the dog or horse？ That he can wear them out with the intelligence of his
endurance？〃
I nodded。
〃Well？〃
The light broke in on me； and I bade him continue。
〃My valley was perhaps five miles around。 The mouth was closed。
There was no way to get out。 A timid beast was that bull mammoth； and
I had him at my mercy。 I got on his heels again hollered like a fiend；
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pelted him with cobbles； and raced him around the valley three times
before I knocked off for supper。 Don't you see？ A race…course！ A man
and a mammoth！ A hippodrome； with sun； moon； and stars to referee！
〃It took me two months to do it； but I did it。 And that's no beaver
dream。 Round and round I ran him； me travelling on the inner circle；
eating jerked meat and salmon berries on the run； and snatching winks of
sleep between。 Of course； he'd get desperate at times and turn。 Then I'd
head for soft ground where the creek spread out； and lay anathema upon
him and his ancestry； and dare him to come on。 But he was too wise to
bog in a mud puddle。 Once he pinned me in against the walls； and I
crawled back into a deep crevice and waited。 Whenever he felt for me
with his trunk； I'd belt him with the hand…axe till he pulled out； shrieking
fit to split my ear drums； he was that mad。 He knew he had me and didn't
have me； and it near drove him wild。 But he was no man's fool。 He
knew he was safe as long as I stayed in the crevice； and he made up his
mind to keep me there。 And he was dead right； only he hadn't figured on
the commissary。 There was neither grub nor water around that spot； so
on the face of it he couldn't keep up the siege。 He'd stand before the
opening for hours； keeping an eye on me and flapping mosquitoes away
with his big blanket ears。 Then the thirst would come on him and he'd
ramp round and roar till the earth shook； calling me every name he could
lay tongue to。 This was to frighten me； of course； and when he thought I
was sufficiently impressed； he'd back away softly and try to make a sneak
for the creek。 Sometimes I'd let him get almost thereonly a couple of
hundred yards away it waswhen out I'd pop and back he'd come；
lumbering along like the old landslide he was。 After I'd done this a few
times； and he'd figured it out； he changed his tactics。 Grasped the time
element； you see。 Without a word of warning； away he'd go； tearing for
the water like mad； scheming to get there and back before I ran away。
Finally； after cursing me most horribly； he raised the siege and deliberately
stalked off to the water…hole。
〃That was the only time he penned me；three days of it；but after that
the hippodrome never stopped。 Round； and round； and round； like a six
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days' go…as…I…please； for he never pleased。 My clothes went to rags and
tatters； but I never stopped to mend； till at last I ran naked as a son of earth；
with nothing but the old hand…axe in one hand and a cobble in the other。
In fact； I never stopped； save for peeps of sleep in the crannies and ledges
of the cliffs。 As for the bull； he got perceptibly thinner and thinnermust
have lost several tons at leastand as nervous as a schoolmarm on the
wrong side of matrimony。 When I'd come up with him and yell； or lain
him with a rock at long range； he'd jump like a skittish colt and tremble all
over。 Then he'd pull out on the run； tail and trunk waving stiff； head over
one shoulder and wicked eyes blazing； and the way he'd swear at me was
something dreadful。 A most immoral beast he was； a murderer； and a
blasphemer。
〃But towards the end he quit all this； and fell to whimpering and
crying like a baby。 His spirit broke and he became a quivering jelly…
mountain of misery。 He'd get attacks of palpitation of the heart； and
stagger around like a drunken man； and fall down and bark his shins。
And then he'd cry； but always on the run。 O man； the gods themselves
would have wept with him； and you yourself or any other man。 It was
pitiful； and there was so I much of it； but I only hardened my heart and hit
up the pace。 At last I wore him clean out； and he lay down； broken…
winded； broken…hearted； hungry； and thirsty。 When I found he wouldn't
budge； I hamstrung him； and spent the better part of the day wading into
him with the hand…axe； he a…sniffing and sobbing till I worked in far
enough to shut him off。 Thirty feet long he was； and twenty high； and a
man could sling a hammock between his tusks and sleep comfortably。
Barring the fact that I had run most of the juices out of him； he was fair
eating； and his four feet； alone； roasted whole； would have lasted a man a
twelvemonth。 I spent the winter there myself。〃
〃And where is this valley？〃 I asked
He waved his hand in the direction of the north…east； and said： 〃Your
tobacco is very good。 I carry a fair share of it in my pouch； but I shall
carry the recollection of it until I die。 In token of my appreciation； and in
return for the moccasins on your own feet； I will present to you these
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The Faith of Men
muclucs。 They commemorate Klooch and the seven blind little beggars。
They are also souvenirs of an unparalleled event in history；