Chapter 139

Sure enough Jadatako was out to join me in a few moments and Georgo too. When Grotondo finished his coffee he came over also. We hadn't been there long before Tratieta and another woman of Jadatako's camp came out with plates for us. I asked Deimeta if she was ready for breakfast and she told me she had eaten before they came outside.

"Tulaarra has told us how Nutaro made them treat the little one and we made a plate for she and Malooto as soon as she woke. It makes me hurt inside to think she did not have enough to eat while everyone around her had plenty," Tratieta said, and it was easily the boldest statement I'd heard from any of the Neanderthal women I'd met.

"It made me hurt inside also Tratieta and I thank you for tending to her."

"I am happy you killed him. We knew he was worthless after he deceived Jadatako, but we never knew he could be so cruel to a child. You have done everyone a service and we should be thanking you," she said, and then left, I didn't even have time to tell her it wasn't me who killed Nutaro.

Tulaarra came out with Danlo's plate then and Weeahta with one for Sahto and one for Talvo and other women came out with food for all the rest of the men. We ate mostly in silence since it seemed to be their custom.

After we were through and the women had retrieved the plates and cups Jadatako dismissed all of his men and it was clear to me Georgo must have given all of mine the lowdown on trading etiquette because they all got up with him and went into the cave with the others. Danlo picked up Deimeta to take her inside also.

Grotondo didn't waste much time telling Jadatako what we wanted to trade for and after he'd finished Jadatako surprised us.

"I would not take salt from John for the widows here that have no mate nor for the unmated woman who has no man to mate her this year. As Tratieta has said, John has done us a service in Nutaro's former camp and we are grateful. I will call Tratieta and ask her to tell the women to pack at once," he said, and did just that.

While she was gone to tell the women the trading talk was finished. I started to object, but since Grotondo was doing the trading I didn't. Jadatako went into the cave and left Grotondo and I alone.

"I didn't intend to just take the women without giving something in return."

"You have given something in return John, though it may not seem like much to you since it was accomplished so easily. I'm sure Jadatako has probably been planning all along to repay Nutaro for his poor treatment. You have made it all unnecessary now and have saved Jadatako the bother and the danger. Now he can feel like he has repaid you for the help," Grotondo told me.

I decided to keep my mouth shut about it and be satisfied. I hadn't known I was doing Jadatako a service, but if he thought I had I wasn't going to make a big thing of it.

All at once my companions began coming out of the cave, well not all at once, but a definite migration had begun. Sleeping furs were being loaded and a few other things, including the belongings of the two widows and the unmated girl who would be leaving with us.

I got one last mug of coffee before we would have to pour the rest out and I wasn't surprised to see Georgo was right behind me for another round. We emptied and packed up our coffee shop then.

I spied Deimeta near my wagon and so I went to her, picking her up and placing her on the seat. I climbed up myself then and sat by her. Grotondo was the last to board and after checking to make sure everyone was ready I got directions from him and we headed off.

I could tell Deimeta was feeling much better today than she had yesterday. She was looking around and generally being amazed at the horses pulling us along and that we didn't have to walk. Grotondo had told me to head further downriver and so we were. He explained he hadn't intended to come this far at first, but we probably had time since we were getting an early start this morning.

We pulled near another camp within an hour. Grotondo had me stop well back from camp and let him down. He entered the camp by himself and I was happy to let him. Grotondo spoke to a woman who was standing outside starring at us - she summoned a man from inside one of the two caves.

It was the camp's leader and he and Grotondo talked for a few minutes, but it wasn't really very long. Then Grotondo followed the leader into the cave. A few minutes later they came back out and walked into the other cave. They were in there for a few minutes and came back out - Grotondo heading toward me and the leader going back into the cave he'd come from.

When he reached me Grotondo explained.

"Chatamtato does not like to deal with people like you, John. Neither I nor anyone else I've ever talked to knows why. I wasn't going to come to this camp for that very reason.

When I talked to Jadatako he told me if we had time we might try to trade with Chatamtato in this manner since Jadatako didn't think Chatamtato had any real animosity for people like you. For some reason he will not trade with them though," Grotondo explained.

"Well did he seem receptive to trading and did he have widows here?"

"He has three widows, all with children and there are four unmated women he will have no mates for this winter. If things go as he expects he will have four boys who become men next year, but also six girls who will become women. He is telling the widows and the unmated women to pack now and I have traded him one of the bundles of salt for them. He was very pleased and he hasn't even seen the salt yet. I came to get it and take it to him," Grotondo said.

He retrieved one of the salt bundles and headed for the cave Chatamtato had entered. He was in there for a while and when he came out the three widows were following him carrying their children. All the children were young and the oldest seemed younger than Malooto who was four.

Some of the other women were bringing the widows' belongings and yet another woman went into the second cave and when she came out she had the four unmated women in tow. The unmated women were carrying their belongings.

I got down and welcomed the women while Danlo and the other men stored the belongings in the wagons. We helped them all find a place to sit and had only marginal difficulty convincing them this strange mode of transportation was safe. Tulaarra finally told them the obvious - we had all come here this way and weren't damaged. This logic was plainly unassailable and after a few minutes talking among themselves they climbed aboard.