Attack of the Amazons by Gilbert L. Morris Page B

take shelter before the tiger comes.”
    â€œThat suits me fine,” Dave said, “but how are you going to hide from a tiger? They can climb trees, can’t they?”
    â€œYes, they can, but there is a safe place. I’ve used it often.”
    The Sleepers followed as the princess led them off the main pathway and to the sheer face of a cliff. She pointed upward. “There! There’s a cave, you see. Come this way.”
    Along with the others, Reb scrambled after the young woman, panting. “She must be half mountain goat. I never did like high places.”
    Wash grunted. “I like it better than being tiger bait.” He was sure-footed, and although the path cut out of the mountainside was narrow, that didn’t seem to trouble him. “Don’t fall off, Reb. You’d bust your head, sure enough—
and don’t look down.”
    Josh entered the cavern directly behind the princess, then helped Sarah and Abbey through the opening. After that he looked around and was surprised to see that it was a good-sized cave. The ceiling at the entrance was at least eight feet high, and it sloped backward some twenty feet.
    Behind him, Reb drew a sigh of relief as he came to the opening and stumbled inside. “Well, I’m up, but I don’t know if I’ll ever get down.”
    â€œThis cave looks man-made,” Josh said. “How did it get here?”
    â€œIt was cut a long time ago,” Merle said, “probably as a place to hide from the tiger or other enemies. There’s wood over there. We can have a fire.”
    â€œGood. We’ve got a little food left, and I wouldn’t mind having some,” Reb said. He supervised the fire building, and soon the smell of frying meat filled the cave.
    Merle watched curiously, sitting with her back against the wall. Her green eyes glittered as the fire-lightreflected off them. Abruptly she asked Sarah, “You
cook?”
    â€œWhy, of course,” Sarah said. “Don’t you?”
    â€œNo.”
    The answer was so terse that Abbey and Sarah stared at each other. Abbey said curiously, “I thought all girls do something about cooking.”
    â€œNo, I do not cook.”
    â€œIs it because you’re a princess?” Dave asked. He was sitting across from Merle, staring at the bands that were on her upper arm. They looked as if they were made of gold, and they shone faintly in the half darkness.
    â€œNo, the daughters of Fedor do not cook.”
    â€œMust get pretty hungry,” Reb said. He grinned at Sarah and Abbey. “I hope
you
don’t take it into your heads to quit cooking. I’d hate to have to eat my own.”
    Sarah said, “I’d hate to have to eat your own too. I’ve tried to eat your cooking before, Reb. Here, this piece is almost done.”
    Abbey served the meat on the small plates they carried with them. There was no extra plate, so Josh put some meat on his and handed it to the princess. “I hope you like this. It’s deer of some kind. We shot it yesterday.”
    Merle nodded when she had tasted it. “Yes, it is timbok. Very good—young and tender. How long was your shot?”
    â€œOh, about fifty yards, I guess.”
    â€œThat is a good shot. I’m surprised that you’re so good. Are you the best with a bow?” She looked at Sarah and asked, “Is he better than you?”
    Actually Sarah was better than Josh. But then, she was better than any of the other Sleepers and did not like to brag.
    Josh didn’t mind telling, however. “She’s the best shot of all of us.”
    His answer seemed to please Princess Merle. She nodded slightly. “That is as it should be.”
    Her response puzzled him.
    She began asking questions then about the place they came from. They finished their meal, taking turns telling her about some of their adventures. She drank from Dave’s canteen and examined it carefully.