“Take care,” he growled. “You see that I wear the skin of a hyena—my own killing. I have disposed of the Cave Lion for all of his sharp teeth and claws. You two—horns, tusks and everything—can be dealt with in the same way.”
Wulli promptly accepted this threat as a challenge. He trotted to the cave mouth and backed into the dark opening until only head and horn protruded. The Mammoth lumbered after and strove to imitate him. When about half-way in, he came to a sudden stop. His shoulder-hump had bumped against the roof and he could proceed no farther.
“Owk, owk; this hole is too small,” he bellowed. “What shall I do?”
“Be quiet,” sounded Wulli’s muffled voice behind him. “You are a cave-lion; so am I. Now let us see if he can drive us out.”
After waiting until the pair were firmly intrenched, the Ape Boy left them to their own devices for the moment while he darted about the rock-platform, picking up such dry leaves, sticks and brush as lay there fallen from above. These he piled in front of the two animals, now playing the parts of a pair of fierce cave-lions about to be driven forth into the cold world by the third and star performer—himself. The Mammoth and Wulli—peering between his partner’s forelegs—looked on, curious rather than fierce. They saw the Ape Boy glide away and disappear in a cleft behind a projection in the back wall. They were preparing to claim a well-earned victory when the youth suddenly reappeared with a smoking firebrand in one hand. As the odor of burning wood reached their nostrils, Hairi and Wulli coughed and stamped their feet uneasily. They saw the Ape Boy kneel down and thrust the brand into the mass of twigs and leaves. Then came a strange crackling sound followed by a sight fearful to behold.
From the pile arose red writhing tongues which leaped and lashed with burning breath. White cloud-puffs scattered by the breeze, curled about in all directions and filled the eyes and nostrils of the now terrified animals. Retreat was impossible; advance hopeless. Solid rock behind; red tongues and white clouds in front. Amid a chorus of frantic squeals and trumpetings, a voice rang out loud and clear from behind the red tongues and white curling clouds:
“Ya-ya, hi-yi! Come out of my cave or stay in and choke.”
But by this time, the two animals were in a panic of fear and took no heed. Nothing, not even the nearness of death, could have induced them to dash through the scorching heat and suffocating smoke. The Ape Boy saw their terror and decided that he had done enough. His heart softened. With one well-directed kick, he sent the burning embers flying across the ledge in all directions.
Out dashed the two would-be cave-lions in mad haste and raced along the platform until the grotto was hidden from their view by a projecting portion of the back-wall. Here they paused to gather breath and calm their nerves. Their eyes and noses still smarted from the irritating smoke.
“Kerchoo! I have had enough of that Ape Boy and his little red and white animal,” said the Mammoth.