THE HOME
While Lodrix summoned the people, the chief rushed out to pull back the
drawbridge which connected their homes with the land.
The lake people were very much frightened. They knew that the people on
land were their enemies; so they were ready to obey every command of
their chief.
[Illustration: (uncaptioned)]
First he called for the messenger who had brought the news.
A youth with a deer hanging from his shoulder stepped forward.
Laying the deer at the chief's feet, the boy said, "My chief! As I was
hunting, I met the boy Tevico, whom you once saved from the wolves in
the forest.
"He told me that his tribe was getting ready to make war upon us and to
burn our dwellings.
"So I hurried here to tell you, that we, too, might prepare for war."
Just then Lodrix, running into the house, shouted, "O father! Come
quickly!"
Out rushed the chief, followed by his people.
What they saw made them tremble with fear.
On the shore of the lake stood hundreds of people waving their stone
axes and shouting in great anger.
The chief had pulled up the drawbridge just in time.
When the Bear people found they could not reach the Lake-Dwellers, they
went away.
The chief of the Dormorants told his people that they must keep close
watch, for their enemies would surely come back.
After choosing men to guard the village, the people went back to their
homes, while the chief and his son went into the house.
[Illustration: (uncaptioned)]
They sat down on the blocks of wood which were the only furniture of
their home; then Lodrix watched his mother skin the deer with the sharp
stone knife, and his father light the fire in the stone fireplace.
The chief was so hungry that he ate the deer meat nearly raw.
Lodrix did not care for the meat, but ate some cakes which had been made
from powdered grain and cooked on the hot stones. He ate some sour
cherries too, and plums which had been picked from the trees on the
shore of the lake and dried.
[Illustration: (uncaptioned)]
[Illustration: (uncaptioned)]