116 THE AXGLER AXD HUXTSMAX 



liberty he paused just long enough to congratulate him- 

 self upon saving his own life. He knew he had done this, 

 But he had done something else, the magnitude and impor- 

 tance of which his savage brain had absolutely no concep- 

 tion. HE HAD INVENTED ARMS AND ' AMMUNI- 

 TION! 



After the savage had escaped an untimely death by 

 hurling the stone with mighty force at the brute-beast, he 

 straightway went to the head tribesman and communicat- 

 ed his discovery. No doubt the chief was greatly amazed 

 cind much pleased that one of his subjects had dared face 

 the great forest animal and actually knock him to his 

 knees in a dazed condition. No doubt he highly commend- 

 ed the bravery and skill of the naked man. Very likely 

 he called the whole tribe together and publicly acclaimed 

 the gallantry of this daring creature who had so success- 

 fully dared to face the great lord of the wilderness, mighty 

 beast. 



Of course, once man had really begun to think, after 

 having realized by chance the possibilities of defending 

 oneself, it was but a comparatively short time until he had 

 begun to devise improvements on the ancient method of 

 heaving a stone by main strength of the body-muscles. 



Came a time Avhen greater force was desired. A way 

 must be found to cast a stone farther and with greater ve- 

 locity. How should it be done"? That, no doubt, was the 

 burning question of the day, discussed in many a council 

 of w r ar in many a chieftain's wigwam as they were planning 

 to swoop down upon their neighbors in a war of conquest, 

 or a war engendered by natural jealousy and hatred. 



One day a great invention was heralded far and wide 

 by excited couriers. A tribesman had invented a weapon 

 whereby a stone could be thrown not only farther and with 

 greater force, but straighter than had been possible be- 

 fore. This came to be known as the sling, and all the tribes- 

 men soon learned to be expert at sling-throwing. This 



