6 Back to the Stone Age

Chapter 6 BACK TO THE STONE AGE "I see it, too!" said Judy. "Maybe it's a way out of here. Move it, Bug-Brain!" Thudd's jellybean-shaped feet were kicking in Andrew's pocket. meep… "Drewd! Take exoskeleton!" said Thudd. "Might need later. Cave is dangerous place." Andrew and Judy picked up the bug skeleton and carried it between them. As they hurried toward the glow, they came to a place where the rock floor was smooth and flat. A curved wall blocked the way ahead of them.

The wall was yellowish white and smooth. It was several inches high and towered over them. Andrew touched it. "This reminds me of something," he said. meep… "Mammoth tusk!" said Thudd. "Jeepers creepers!" Andrew whispered. He thought of Max the mammoth from their adventure in the Ice Age 14,000 years ago. Andrew shined his light on the ground near the base of the tusk. There was a small crack of space. "Let's go through here," Andrew said. Andrew and Judy shoved the bug skeleton ahead of them, then slipped through themselves. On the other side of the tusk, their feet stirred up little clouds of dark dust. Andrew beamed his light around. They were in a circle made of mammoth tusks! "Wowzers schnauzers!" said Andrew. "Someone made this circle!" As they trekked across the circle, they passed lumpy chunks that towered over them like black

hills. "Wait a minute," said Andrew. He put down the bug skeleton and rubbed one of the chunks. It made his hand black. "This feels like charcoal," he said. "The black dust we're kicking up is soot. Someone made a fire here!" meep… "Thousands, thousands of years ago, people use cave as home," said Thudd. "Cook food. Sleep. Hide from bear. Hide from saber- tooth tiger. But sometime tiger and bear live in cave, too." Andrew walked around a flat stone. It had sharp chipped edges and a point at one end. "It's an arrowhead!" said Andrew. "Yoop! Yoop! Yoop!" said Thudd. "This time called Stone Age cuz people make tools from stone.

"See two stones next to arrowhead? Called firestones, or flint. Stone Age people rub firestones together. Make spark. Make fire." Andrew picked up tiny chips of the firestones and put them in his pocket. "These could come in handy," he said. Whoosh… whoosh… came a soft sound in the silent place. Andrew turned his light up. "Oh, it's just a bat," he said. meep… "Vampire bat!" squeaked Thudd.