  THINGS TO THINK ABOUT What do you think had happened to Flaker? If any of his bones were broken, do you think the Cave-men could set them? Do you think there were doctors when the Cave-men lived? Who would do the work which doctors do to-day? What the Cave-men did for Flaker Fleetfoot ran ahead of Greybeard and found Flaker on the ground. Fleetfoot stooped and looked into his face. He called him by name. No answer came. Then Fleetfoot asked Greybeard if Flaker was dead. Greybeard shook his head as he bent down and laid his hands upon the boy. He examined his wounds, then said to Fleetfoot, “Let’s carry him down to the cool spring.” So Greybeard and Fleetfoot lifted Flaker and carried him gently down to the spring. There they bathed his face and the ugly wounds with fresh cool water. They bound his wounds with strips of the skins that the boys wore that day. When Greybeard tried to set the broken bones, Flaker began to moan. He opened his eyes for a moment; then he fell back in a swoon. Then Greybeard sent Fleetfoot to the cave for help. And Fleetfoot hurried and told Antler; and Antler, picking up some little things which she knew she would need, and telling the women to follow quickly with a large skin, went with Fleetfoot to the spot where Flaker lay. Greybeard was watching beside the boy when Antler arrived. He helped her set the broken bones and then they prepared to carry him home. image What the Cave-men did for Flaker. Taking the skin which the women brought, Antler stretched it upon the ground. Then the women helped Flaker’s wounds soon healed. But when he was strong enough to walk, the Cave-men saw that he was lame. Flaker was always lame after that. The bones had slipped out of place and now it was too late to reset them. Afterwards the Cave-men learned better ways of setting broken bones. They found better ways of holding them in place while they grew together. Perhaps the Cave-men learned this by watching the wild animals. Some birds, when they break a leg, hold the bones in place with wet clay. Sometimes we use a plaster cast, but the Cave-men knew nothing about such a way. The days seemed long to Flaker while he was getting well. Everybody was kind to him, but it seemed hard to keep quiet when everybody else was moving about. When Fleetfoot went out to hunt, Flaker wanted to go too. But he could not go, and so Fleetfoot used to tell him everything that happened. THINGS TO DO Show how the women helped Antler put Flaker upon the skin. Show how they carried him home. Draw one of the pictures. Find out why a child’s bones will grow together more easily than an old person’s bones. See if you can find out what bones are made of. Soak a bone in acid and see what happens to it. Burn a bone and see what If there is a spring in your neighborhood, go and see it. Find out where the water comes from. |
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