Too much emphasis cannot be laid upon the fact that methods of thinking are more important, than the particular things we think about. Right thinking is the cornerstone of all mental development. In the writer's opinion it is the great lack in modern education. FREDERIC ARNOLD KUMMER. _Catonsville, Maryland._ [Illustration] [Illustration] CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I HOW MOTHER NATURE MADE THE EARTH READY FOR MAN 19 II THE FISH THAT GOT STUCK IN THE MUD 29 III THE APE THAT WALKED LIKE A MAN 40 IV THE HUNGRY APE AND THE BUNCH OF WILD FRUIT 51 V THE CAVE, AND THE FISH 63 VI ADH'S FIRST FIGHT 76 VII RA MAKES A NEW SPEAR 87 VIII MA-RA FINDS A NEW KIND OF FOOD, AND A COAT OF FUR 103 IX THE COMING OF FIRE 117 X THE FIRST BOAT 133 XI TOR-AD THE POTTER 148 XII HOW RA-NA SAVED HIS PEOPLE 162 XIII THE FIRST BOW AND ARROW 173 XIV KA-MA THE TRAVELLER 182 XV THE SEA PEOPLE 199 XVI MA-YA BUILDS A CANOE 209 XVII THE CONQUERORS 225 XVIII THE ISLAND MEN 245 XIX THE FIRST SEA FIGHT 259 XX THE SEA ROVERS 276 XXI THE END OF THE STONE AGE 285 ILLUSTRATIONS [Illustration] COLD CAME RUSHING UP, HIS GREAT WHITE WINGS GLITTERING WITH FROST _Frontispiece_ PAGE BEFORE MAN 37 THE FIRST THINKER 57 THE WOODEN SPEAR 73 THE CAVE MAN'S FIGHT WITH A BEAR 79 THE HOME OF EARLY MAN 83 THE FIGHT WITH A MAMMOTH 91 THE BEGINNING OF THE STONE AGE 95 TYPES OF WEAPONS USED BY EARLY MAN 99 THE BEAR SKIN 111 THE FIRST FIRE 119 THE FIRST COOK 127 THE FIRST VOYAGE 137 A DUG-OUT CANOE OF EARLY MAN 137 THE FIRST ARTIST 149 THE FIRST POTTER 155 THE SACRED FIRE 167 BOWS AND ARROWS AND SLINGS 177 EARLY STONE WEAPONS AND IMPLEMENTS 195 EARLY METHODS OF BREAD AND FIRE MAKING 231