Za strode up and down for a moment, and then turned to Hur. 'I am going to speak with the strangers again.'

'Will you ask them to show you how to make fire?'

Za nodded. 'I shall ask them many things. I shall learn from their new thoughts. I want to hear more things that I can remember.'

He looked solemnly at Hur. 'A leader has many things to remember!'

Using his authority as leader, Za snatched an axe from the nearest Tribesman, and headed for the cave.

In the cave of skulls, Ian, working under the Doctor's instructions, was making a kind of bow with one of his shoe-laces and a bendy piece of wood, one of the branches at the back of the cave. A long thin piece of wood, like an arrow, was wrapped in the middle of the shoe-lace.

'I hope this works, Doctor,' said Ian. 'Sure you wouldn't like to have a go?'

'No, no, young man. I merely provided the theory. The practice calls for strong wrists and unending patience, and I have neither.'

Barbara looked at the apparatus in some puzzlement. 'I still don't see how you think you're going to make fire with some kind of toy bow and arrow.'

'Easy to see you're not a science teacher,' said Ian. 'Energy into heat, remember. The idea is, I rotate the arrow bit against a chunk of dry wood, very fast and for a very long time. All my hard work gets converted into heat - and with any luck, into fire.'

'I see. The proverbial rubbing two sticks together?'

'That's right. Any boy scout is supposed to be able to do it. I only hope I can!'

Susan appeared with a flat round stone with a hollow depression in the middle - a kind of natural bowl. 'Is this the sort of thing you want?'

'That'll do fine.'

'You'll need something very dry and tindery,' said Barbara.

'Dead leaves and old grass should do it.' She found a supply of both at the back of the cave. Carefully avoiding Old Mother's body, she carried them back.

'Good,' said Ian. 'Now, I put this bit of dry wood in the bowl, we pack the dry leaves and grass around it... so... and away we go!'

Ian stood the arrow in the bowl, point downwards, and held it in position with another piece of wood in his left hand. By moving the bow in his right hand backwards and forwards, he began turning the point of the arrow round and round on the flat piece of wood. He worked away steadily, and soon the point had formed a kind of groove. Round and round, moved the arrow on the piece of wood, but there was no sign of fire...

'It's no use you all standing over me,' said Ian irritably. 'It isn't going to burst into flames straight away you know. It'll probably take all night!'

Za marched up to the sentry he had left outside the second exit from the cave. 'I go in to speak with the strange tribe. If anyone but me comes out, you will kill them.'

The tribesman nodded and Za went into the tunnel.

In the hillside immediately above the exit, there was a ledge of rock. On it lay Kal. His eyes were blazing with hatred, and the stone knife was gripped tightly in his hand.

He looked hungrily down at the unsuspecting sentry - all that stood between him and his revenge.

11

The Firemaker

Despite Ian's protests, the others were still standing round him watching his efforts. As Barbara had remarked, there wasn't really a great deal else to do in the cave, and since all their lives depended on his efforts, they could scarcely be blamed for taking an interest.

'I think I can smell something,' said Susan suddenly.

'So can I,' agreed Barbara. 'A sort of scorching...'

'You're doing it!' said Susan excitedly. 'It's going to work!'

Ian's forehead was dripping with sweat, and his wrists felt as if they were on fire themselves. 'Not yet,' he grunted. 'Long way... to go... yet.'

Suddenly Za appeared from the back of the cave. 'What is this?

What are you doing?'

'We are making fire,' said the Doctor impressively.

('I like the "we",' thought Ian mutinously. 'Who's doing all the work?')

Za looked down at Ian. 'Friend?'

Ian looked up, stopping his work in surprise. 'What?'

'Don't stop,' said the Doctor quickly. Hurriedly, Ian went on with his unending twirling of the stick.

'Hur said you called yourself Friend,' said Za. 'I am Za. I am leader. Are you the leader of this tribe?'

Still working, Ian glanced up at the Doctor, who was staring loftily into space.

Ian nodded towards the Doctor. 'No. He is our leader.'

'What are you going to do with us?' asked Susan anxiously.

'Are you going to set us free?'

Za looked thoughtfully at them. 'The old men of the Tribe have been talking. They say you are from Orb, the sun. They say that when you are returned to him we shall have fire again.'

'Returned? How?' asked the Doctor sharply.

'Sacrificed - on the stone of death, outside the great cave. The old men say your deaths will bring back fire.'

'But that's not true,' said Barbara horrified. 'If you kill us, you'll never have fire.'

'That is what I think,' said Za. 'I think you are a new tribe from the other side of the mountain. Show me how to make fire and I will take you back.' Za paused. 'If you do not show me how to make fire soon, I do not think I will be able to stop your dying on the stone of death.'

Ian had been toiling away all this time. Suddenly, he shouted,

'It's working. I really think it's beginning to work!'

Everyone crowded round. A tiny wisp of smoke was rising from the dried grass around the flat piece of wood. 'Put some more dry grass and leaves there, Barbara. Gently though, don't smother it.'

Susan and Barbara crouched beside him, watching eagerly.

The Doctor stared imperiously at Za. 'Do you understand what we are doing? We are making fire for you.'

'I am watching.'

'The whole Tribe should be watching,' said Ian. 'Then everybody would know how to make fire.'

'Only the leader makes fire,' growled Za. 'Everybody cannot be the leader.'

'True enough - but in our tribe the firemaker is the least important man.'

'I do not believe this.'

'Oh yes,' said the Doctor loftily. 'He is the least important because in our tribe we can all make fire.'

Susan put her lips to Barbara's ear. 'I hope he doesn't make grandfather prove that!'

There was a sudden shout from Ian. 'Susan, Barbara! Blow gently just here!'

They knelt beside him and began blowing on the smouldering grass. 'Not too much,' warned Ian. 'That's right. It's glowing. There are embers there. Give me some more grass, Susan.'

By now a thin column of smoke was rising from the grass.

Suddenly there was a crackling. A flame leaped up, and then another...

Ian threw aside the bow and began feeding the tiny blaze with grass and twigs. The flames grew higher, higher, until a little fire was burning on the stone.

'You've done it,' shouted Susan excitedly. 'Ian, you've done it!'

She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him.

Barbara patted him on the back. 'Congratulations, Ian. Well done!'

Only the Doctor did not speak. He was watching Za.

Za was gazing into the flames in utter fascination.

'Fire!' he murmured. 'Fire is back!'

Horg and the elders and the rest of the warriors were gathered around the flat-topped stone of sacrifice, talking in low voices. 'Za has been long in the cave of skulls,' said one of the warriors. 'Soon Orb will rise in the sky.'

'Za talks to the strangers,' said Hur. 'He is learning their secrets.'

'When Orb touches the stone he must bring them out,' said another. 'We shall spill their blood on the stone of sacrifice.'