hallknowinthemorning,"saidLordJohn."Itwasclosetous—notfartherthantheglade."
"Wehavebeenprivilegedtooverhearaprehistorictragedy,thesortofdramawhichoccurredamongthereedsupontheborderofsomeJurassiclagoon,whenthegreaterdragonpinnedthelesseramongtheslime,"saidChallenger,withmoresolemnitythanIhadeverheardinhisvoice."Itwassurelywellformanthathecamelateintheorderofcreation.Therewerepowersabroadinearlierdayswhichnocourageandnomechanismofhiscouldhavemet.Whatcouldhissling,histhrowing-stick,orhisarrowavailhimagainstsuchforcesashavebeenlooseto-night?Evenwithamodernrifleitwouldbealloddsonthemonster."
"IthinkIshouldbackmylittlefriend,"saidLordJohn,caressinghisExpress."Butthebeastwouldcertainlyhaveagoodsportingchance."
Summerleeraisedhishand.
"Hush!"hecried."SurelyIhearsomething?"
Fromtheuttersilencethereemergedadeep,regularpat-pat.Itwasthetreadofsomeanimal—therhythmofsoftbutheavypadsplacedcautiouslyupontheground.Itstoleslowlyroundthecamp,andthenhaltednearourgateway.Therewasalow,sibilantriseandfall—thebreathingofthecreature.Onlyourfeeblehedgeseparatedusfromthishorrorofthenight.Eachofushadseizedhisrifle,andLordJohnhadpulledoutasmallbushtomakeanembrasureinthehedge.
"ByGeorge!"hewhispered."IthinkIcanseeit!"
Istoopedandpeeredoverhisshoulderthroughthegap.Yes,Icouldseeit,too.Inthedeepshadowofthetreetherewasadeepershadowyet,black,inchoate,vague—acrouchingformfullofsavagevigorandmenace.Itwasnohigherthanahorse,butthedimoutlinesuggestedvastbulkandstrength.Thathissingpant,asregularandfull-volumedastheexhaustofanengine,spokeofamonstrousorganism.Once,asitmoved,IthoughtIsawtheglintoftwoterrible,greenisheyes.Therewasanuneasyrustling,asifitwerecrawlingslowlyforward.
"Ibelieveitisgoingtospring!"saidI,cockingmyrifle.
"Don'tfire!Don'tfire!"whisperedLordJohn."Thecrashofaguninthissilentnightwouldbeheardformiles.Keepitasalastcard."
"Ifitgetsoverthehedgewe'redone,"saidSummerlee,andhisvoicecrackledintoanervouslaughashespoke.
"No,itmustnotgetover,"criedLordJohn"butholdyourfiretothelast.PerhapsIcanmakesomethingofthefellow.I'llchanceit,anyhow."
ItwasasbraveanactaseverIsawamando.Hestoopedtothefire,pickedupablazingbranch,andslippedinaninstantthroughasallyportwhichhehadmadeinourgateway.Thethingmovedforwardwithadreadfulsnarl.LordJohnneverhesitated,but,runningtowardsitwithaquick,lightstep,hedashedtheflamingwoodintothebrute'sface.ForonemomentIhadavisionofahorriblemasklikeagianttoad's,ofawarty,leprousskin,andofaloosemouthallbeslobberedwithfreshblood.Thenext,therewasacrashintheunderwoodandourdreadfulvisitorwasgone.
"Ithoughthewou