"Ho, ho, ho!" sang Strongarm to his wife, as he went into the cave. He
threw the horse meat upon the floor with a loud laugh, and lay down on
a bear skin to rest.

The cave was a big room with a high roof. The floor was of dirt and
very hard. The walls were limestone rock in beautiful rough layers,
one upon another. From the roof the limestone hung in long pointed
shapes, like icicles.

A fire burned brightly on the floor, while the smoke rose slowly and
went out at a hole in the roof. The walls and the roof were blackened
by smoke.

Strongarm's young wife was named Burr. She was glad when she saw the
meat. She took her stone knife quickly and cut up the meat, and threw
the pieces on the hot coals. While the fire blazed and snapped and
cooked the meat, the boys looked on with hungry eyes.

When the meat was done, Burr pulled it from the fire with a long stick.
The boys and Strongarm snatched it up and tore it to pieces with their
white teeth.

"Um-m! how good and tender and juicy!" said the boys, grinning, and
smacking their lips.

When the meat was all gone, the bones were broken and the sweet marrow
scraped out and eaten; for that was good, too.

While the family was still eating, a big black bear came along. He