
In a cliff‑side settlement where stone walls blend seamlessly with the sheer rock face, two boys spend their afternoons mastering a simple game of sticks and dice. Their rivalry is light‑hearted, filled with teasing boasts and the thrill of each toss, while the surrounding landscape—towering terraces, hidden reservoirs, and a vast cavern‑cave—frames their world with a mix of mystery and rugged beauty.
When thirst drives them toward a distant spring, the boys glimpse the bustling life of the cliff village: terraced homes stacked like a stone beehive, narrow courts where children play and families work under the protective arch of the cavern ceiling. Their adventure hints at the rhythms of daily life, the secrets whispered by elders, and the ever‑present presence of hunters returning from the wild. Listeners are invited into this ancient, almost hidden world, feeling the cool stone beneath their feet and the excitement of youthful discovery.
Language
en
Duration
~1 hours (72K characters)
Series
Instructor literature series, no. 257
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: F. A. Owen Publishing Company, 1916.
Credits
Demian Katz, Craig Kirkwood, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Images courtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University.)
Release date
2023-01-10
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1877–1967
Best known for early adventure stories for young readers, this American writer brought prehistoric worlds and cliff-dwelling settings to life in simple, lively prose. Her surviving books suggest a knack for turning history and imagination into stories that feel playful and accessible.
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