Caves That Time Forgot (12 page)

16

You Never Know
About a Woman

S
omehow we always know when it's time to leave a place, don't we?” Dave was speaking thoughtfully to his six companions. “We knew when it was time to leave Atlantis, and we knew when it was time to leave Camelot.”

“I guess that's right,” Josh said. He looked over to where Clag's and Mord's tribes had come together for their first annual feast. “I'd say, on the whole we've done a pretty good job.”

Reb nodded firmly. “I taught 'em how to rope and how to ride. We taught 'em how to plow, how to keep herds and goats, and how to make bread.”

“Yeah! And how to make bows and arrows to protect themselves,” Wash added. “I don't think they're gonna kill each other now.”

Jake was watching the festivities. “I never thought I'd see this, the way they hated each other. Look at them. They all look like they're eating at a county fair.”

Sarah had been noticing something else. “And have you all noticed what's happening with Eena?”

“What's that?” Josh said in surprise.

Sarah drew her lips tight together. “I don't believe you'd notice if a mountain fell on top of you, Joshua Adams.”

Josh looked bewildered. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Why, it's Ral and Lom. They're both interested in her. Can't you see that?”

Abigail sniffed. “He's blind as a bat,” she announced. “It's plain as the nose on your face that pretty soon they're going to fight. The winner will get her.”

“Well, that'd be a pretty good scrap,” Jake said. “Those are two strong guys. I don't know who I'd bet on.”

“Maybe it won't happen,” Dave said. “I've tried to teach Eena a little bit about courtship.”

“Oh?” Sarah looked at him sharply. “I didn't know you were such an expert in such things, Dave.”

“Aw, all he ever did before we come here was read them advice-to-the-lovelorn columns.” Reb grinned.

It turned out that Sarah and Abbie were right. Later that afternoon, Ral and Lom stood facing one another. Obviously the two were both enamored of Eena, and suddenly they were at each other's throats, rolling in the dust. The tribespeople gathered around, encouraging their favorites.

“Somebody's going to be pretty well scratched up,” Jake said. “Those guys mean business.”

The fight went on until both young men were bloodied and exhausted, scarcely able to see, so swollen were their faces.

Clag and Mord both seemed to enjoy the fight, but it was Clag who finally called a halt to it. “Which you want, Eena?”

Eena stared at the two warriors, and a silence fell over the gathering.

Josh leaned over and whispered to Dave, “She'll pick Ral. See if she doesn't.”

“No, she won't either,” Dave whispered back. “She's always liked Lom. She'll pick him.”

“How much would you bet?” Sarah asked.

“Anything you want,” Josh said confidently.

“Yeah, anything you want,” Dave echoed.

“If you're right,” Sarah said, “—either one of you—I'll wait on you both all the way back home, cook your food, wash your clothes, take care of you like kings.”

“Hey, that sounds good! I'll take that bet.” Josh grinned. “We can't lose.”

“We can't lose,” Dave said. “I'll take it.”

“But if I pick the right one, then you two wait on me, carry my things, cook for me, and do anything I say?”

“Sure, sure,” both boys agreed. “Which one do you say?”

Sarah leaned over and whispered a name.

They both stared at her, and Josh laughed aloud. “I thought you had more good sense than that, Sarah.” He winked at Dave. “It's gonna be pretty nice being pampered, isn't it, old buddy?”

“Sure is.” Dave nodded.

They all turned to look at Eena, who had now risen. Obviously enjoying the attention she was receiving, she went to the two bloodied young men. She smiled at each of them—then walked on to where Beno stood. She took his arm, then turned to look at her father. “Beno—I be his mate.”

A mutter ran around the crowd, and Sarah said sweetly, “It looks like I'm going to have an easy trip back, doesn't it?”

Josh and Dave exchanged dismayed glances, and misery crept into Josh's eyes. “We're in trouble, Dave. I can tell you that right now!”

The sun was going down as the Seven Sleepers made their way along the trail. They had said their good-byes to both tribes, and although many had urged them to return, they had merely said, “It's as Goél commands.”

Now, on this second day of their journey, Sarah glanced back to see Josh trudging along under a double burden, her gear and his too. She had had a delightful time the previous day, strolling along as the two boys carried her burdens, then resting while they cooked her food and brought it to her.

Now Josh had fallen behind, and she waited until he caught up. He sat down heavily beside the trail. “How much longer you going to keep this up, Sarah?”

She sat down beside him. “Keep what up?”

He stared at her. “You know what I'm talking about. Making me do all this work—wait on you hand and foot!”

“That was the bet, wasn't it?”

Josh stared at her curiously. “How did you know that—that Eena would choose Beno?”

“She told me.”

“She
told
you! And you let us think—”

Sarah began to laugh. She had been holding back her laughter all the time, and now she let it ring out.

Josh's mouth fell open. Then he got up and started down the path again.

Sarah let him get
twenty feet away before she got up. “Josh, don't be angry—”

A sudden snort came from her right. She whirled to see a scaly, scary-looking dinosaur, not large, not much bigger than a small pig. But it was coming right toward her!

Sarah screamed and made a dive for a tree. The lowest branch was over her head, almost too high to reach, but she seized it with both hands. She was not strong enough to pull herself all the way up. She looked down and saw the scaly animal rising on its hind legs, coming for her feet. She braced them against the tree trunk.

“Josh!” she shrieked. “Help! He's going to eat me!”

Josh came back slowly, a grin on his face. “Yes,” he said solemnly, “I believe he is.”

“What is it, Josh? What is it?”

“This is a
Terribilus Animalas.
Very dangerous,” he declared.

“Get him away! Get him away, Josh! Kill him!”

Josh said, “If I do, will you let me off the bet?”

“Yes, yes! Anything! I promise.”

Josh walked up to the small animal—which was more the size of an overgrown armadillo than a dinosaur—and gave it a hearty kick. “Get out of here!” he said. The animal snorted and ran.

Sarah dropped to the ground. She faced Josh and said, “That wasn't a dangerous animal. That was just an old herb-eater.”

“But remember what you said.” He took off her pack and handed it to her.

“I think you're mean!” She put the pack on and trudged away. He came up beside her. After a while he said, “You never know what a woman will do. I sure thought Eena would take Lom or Ral.”

Sarah was pouting a little, but she shook her head. “I knew she wouldn't. She's a smart girl. She could see what's coming.”

“What
is
coming?” Josh asked, a perplexed look on his face.

“I think she's looking for a different kind of man, one that would be gentle and take care of her. You saw how some of the women were treated. Beno would never treat his wife like that. He's really very sweet.”

They plodded on for a while, then Josh said, “Well, I hope they'll be happy.”

Sarah reached out suddenly and took his hand. “Beno is sweet—like you, Josh.”

“Me?” He looked down at the hand in his, and his face flushed. “You never called me
that
before.”

Sarah smiled at him and squeezed his hand. “Didn't I? Well, it's true enough. Don't you have something nice to say about me?”

Josh appeared to be searching his brain. “Well, you don't sweat much—”

Sarah's face froze. She jerked her hand away and stalked off.

“Wait a minute, Sarah! Wait a minute!” He caught up with her. “You didn't let me finish. You don't sweat much, and you're the prettiest girl I ever saw!”

Sarah turned back and smiled, looking up at the tall, gangling boy. Taking his hand again, she whispered, “You know, Josh Adams, you do have your moments!”

The Seven Sleepers Series includes:

• Flight of the Eagles—#1
  
• The Gates of Neptune—#2
  
• The Sword of Camelot—#3
  
• The Caves That Time Forgot—#4
  
• Winged Raiders of the Desert—#5
  
• Empress of the Underworld—#6
  
• Voyage of the Dolphin—#7
  
• Attack of the Amazons—#8
  
• Escape with the Dream Maker—#9
  
• The Final Kingdom—#10