At Og’s coming the conflict ceased for most of the ape people scattered and took to trees where they stared down, chattering loudly and gnashing their teeth in anger and fear. Og strode across the bodies of the fallen ones and, standing there beside Wab, his burning torch held high, glared about.
By the light of the flickering flames he could see great, long-armed, crouching forms all about. Some of these he recognized as the powerful fighters of Scar Face. And presently he discerned the old fighter himself, coming slowly toward him, grimacing and chattering and holding up his hands as a sign of peace. Og beheld him with interest and not a little pleasure, for often he had thought of him and wondered whether he had been able to escape the terrible forest fire that he had started when he stole a firebrand and ran off into the forest with it.
By grunts and signs, Og showed his peaceful intention too, and presently Scar Face communicated the fact that the hairy boy had not come to wage war on them, for the chattering and scolding ceased and slowly some began to approach, while others, the trouble over, scattered among the trees and became lost in the night.
Og turned his attention then to Gog and Wab, both of whom had collapsed and now lay huddled and forlorn at the base of the big bowlder. Eagerly Og searched his father for signs of life, for he feared that the old hunter had passed on because of the many wounds he had received, and it was with great relief that he discovered still a strong heart beat.
Gog, however, had fared far worse than Wab. Fierce and terrible as a fighter, and valiant in battle too, the old leader, his treachery forgotten in the lust of combat, had carried the brunt of the fight from the very beginning, wielding a mighty hammer and crushing skulls right and left. The consequence was that the tree people had attacked him with utmost fierceness, as scores of bleeding wounds testified. When Og examined him he found the old leader all but dead. Indeed, even as the hairy boy leaned over him, Gog’s heart stopped beating and Og turned from him with a shudder. The fierce old warrior had passed on to the land of dead men.
By signs and grunts Og made Scar Face understand that he wanted to carry the unconscious Wab back over the mountain and into the valley of the hairy people, and when the tree man understood he was quick to lend his tremendous strength and between them they carried the limp form of Og’s father up the slope to the top of the mountain. There Scar Face refused to go farther, so Og shouldered the burden alone and picked his way slowly down the rocky, wooded slope, with the wolf dogs, tails drooping, at his heels. It was a hard journey for the tired hairy boy, and day was breaking over the eastern mountain tops before he reached the council grounds and the friendly shelter of the big home cave, where he could rest once more and care for the many wounds of his father.
THE END.