Chapter V

           Myvisionofthescenecameabruptly,asIemergedfromtheforest.Ifoundmyselfontheedgeofalargeclearspace.Ononesideofthisspaceroseuphighbluffs.Ontheothersidewastheriver.Theearthbankransteeplydowntothewater,buthereandthere,inseveralplaces,whereatsometimeslidesofearthhadoccurred,therewererun-ways.Thesewerethedrinking-placesoftheFolkthatlivedinthecaves.

           Andthiswasthemainabiding-placeoftheFolkthatIhadchancedupon.Thiswas,Imaysay,bystretchingtheword,thevillage.MymotherandtheChattererandI,andafewothersimplebodies,werewhatmightbetermedsuburbanresidents.Wewerepartofthehorde,thoughwelivedadistanceawayfromit.Itwasonlyashortdistance,thoughithadtakenme,whatofmywandering,allofaweektoarrive.HadIcomedirectly,Icouldhavecoveredthetripinanhour.

           Buttoreturn.FromtheedgeoftheforestIsawthecavesinthebluff,theopenspace,andtherun-waystothedrinking-places.AndintheopenspaceIsawmanyoftheFolk.Ihadbeenstraying,aloneandachild,foraweek.DuringthattimeIhadseennotoneofmykind.Ihadlivedinterroranddesolation.Andnow,atthesightofmykind,Iwasovercomewithgladness,andIranwildlytowardthem.

           Thenitwasthatastrangethinghappened.SomeoneoftheFolksawmeandutteredawarningcry.Ontheinstant,cryingoutwithfearandpanic,theFolkfledaway.Leapingandscramblingovertherocks,theyplungedintothemouthsofthecavesanddisappeared...