The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1912-06-05
CHAPTER VI.
tOoutinusa.y
Jupiter.

nARwARDpN and Ayrault
shouidsred their rifles. while
Dr.. Cortiandt took repeating
shotgun with No. 4 shot. ana.
having also some hundnS
knives and q ssxtant. AZ three sst OUT
In q northwesterly direction. The ground
was rather soft, and . warm vapor
seemed to rise from II. 10 the east the
sky was vealsd BY dense clouds OF smoke
from the towering volcanoes. while On
thsir left the forest seemed to sxtend
Without limit. Ciumps Of huge fsins
were scattered about. and ehs uound
was covered with curious tracks.
Jupiter IL evidently passing throusn
a CaSboniferous or Devonian psfiod
such - existed on earth. though. X
consistent with ita siss. It should DO on
q vastly larger scale" said the Doctor.
~ never bsiisvot In shs theory" he
continued, that the larger the planet
the smaller should be It's Inhabitants,
and always considered II . maksshift.
nut forward IN the sbsencs Of dsnnite
knowledge. the idea being apparently
that the welrht Of very large creatures
would be too great for their strength.
OF the fact that mastodons and crea-
lures far larger than any now hvins
on earth existed there, We have abso-
lutte proof. though gravitstion must have
been practically the same then ~ now"
Just here they cams upon . number
Of huge bones. evidently tho remains OF
some saurian. and many times the slse
OF a grown crocodile. On passing
growth OF most iuxur1ant veeetstion they
saw q half dosen sacieiike objects. AMI
drawing nearer noticed that the tops
began TO swell. and II the same tins
became lighter IN color. Just A. the
doctor was about TO Investigate one OF
them With his ducas shot the enormously
inflated tops OF the creatures collapsed
with a loud report ana the entire group
solred away. when about 10 aiight.
forty yards on. they distended Nom.
braneous folds In uhe manner of wings,
which checked taheir descent. and on
touching the ground remained where
they were without rebound.
I'VE expected to md all kinds Of rep
tiles and BIRDS" exclaimed the doctor.
But I DO not know how We should
class those creatures. They ssom to
have pneumatic feet and legs. for their
motion was certainly not produced like
that q frogs"
When the party came up With them
the heads again began to swell.
IT will perforate me afr chamber Of
one," said Col. Bearwardcn. withdraw
ing the explosive cartridge from the
barrel Of his rins and substituttn6 one
with a solid ball. This will doubtless
disable one so that We csn examine t.
just as they were about to rise, he
shot the largest through the neck. All
but the wounded ono SCARED OF. while
Bearwarden. Ayrauit and CortIandt APP
! pro iched 10 examine II more closely
"You see" said CortIandt. this verte-
brate--for that Is as definitely as we can
yet describe it--forces a great pressure
| OF air into Its head and neck which. by
the action of valves. II must allow 10
| rush into It's very rudiinentary lower
extremltics dlstending them with inch
violence that the body 10 shot upward
| ana forward. You may have noticed
e>tightiy inflated portion underneath
as they left the ground"
While speaking he had moved rather
near. when suddenly a partially con-
ceal~d mouth opened. showing the I'M
mistakable tongue and fangs Of = SER
pent. It emitted a kissing sound, and
the small eyes cleaned mallc!ously.
AS II will he unable to spring for
some time" said Bearwarlen. I'VE
mlsht a. well save II the disappo,nt-
ment OF trying" and sn,ppinG tho used
| shell from his ride. he nred an explo-
s,ys ball into the reptile. whereupon
about half the body disappeared. while
a sickeninE odor arose. Although tho
sun was stlll far above the horizon. the
rapidity with which II WAS descending
showed that tho short nisht of less
than five hours would soon be upon
them! and though short II might he
very dark. for they were In the troplcs,
ana the sun. going down perpendicular
| ly must also pass completely around
| In - khsr 30