THE ANCIENT ONE 47

that these great creatures were unbelievably fierce
and agile, a match for many men and dogs, as I well
knew but had forgotten in my excitement. So we
waited, hidden among the rocks, until at last the old
bear and her two cubs left the cave and ambled off
down the beach.

When we thought they had reached a safe distance,
we hurried to the entrance of the cave and peered into
the darkness, holding high our torches of blubber. Step
by step we advanced into that vast black place, walk-
ing close together, unable to speak, so uneasy we
were. For all we knew, the Ancient Ones were alive—
savage, horrible, waiting for us there in the darkness!

“They cannot be so very savage, these Ancient
Ones,” Loo whispered in my ear as we hesitated not
far from the opening, “else the bear and her cubs
would not have entered the cave so fearlessly.”

Loo was right, I knew, for the old bear had not
even hesitated when she entered the cave. Somewhat
reassured, I plucked Loo’s arm and we crept on into
the cavern, lifting our torches high as we advanced.
All around us was ice, sparkling, glittering ice, that
gleamed and flashed in the light of our blubber
torches. Ice, hanging down from the ceiling; ice,
reaching up in giant icicles from the ground below.
Everywhere were strange shapes and ridges and hum-
mocks of ice. It was a marvelous sight. But the most
amazing thing was to come.

As we went on, shivering in the bitter cold of that