The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-05-17
against the monsters who roamed


 But now it was clear enough how | it could be done In their narrow l mouthed caves the natives, whoever 1 they might be, had refuges into which | the huge saurians could not penetrate, while with their developed brains they were capable of setting such traps. 1 covered with branches, across the i paths which marked the run of the 1 animals as would destroy them in spite l of all their strength and activity. Man
 was always the master.
 The sIoping wall of the pit was not difficult for an active man to climb
 but hesitated long before I trusted myself within reach of the dreadful creature which had so nearly destroy ed me.
 How did I know that the beast was not lurking in the nearest cluup of | bushes, waiting for my reappearGnce2 took heart, however, as I recalled a conversation between Challenger and i, Sunmerlee upon the habits of the great saurians. Both were agreed that the monsters were practically brair- less, that there was no room for req son in their tiny cranial cavities and that if they have disappeared from the rest of the world it was assurediy on account of, their own stupidity, which made it impossible for them to adapt themselves to changing condi- tions
 I clambered to the edge of the pit and looked over. The stars were fad ing, the sky was whitening, and the cold wind of morning blew pleasantly upon my face. I could see or hear nothing of my enemy. Slowly I climb ed out and sat for awhile upon the ground, ready to spring back into my refuge if any danger should appear. Then, reassured by the absolute still ness and by the growing light, I took my courage in both hands and stole back along the path which I had come. Some distance down it picked up my gun and shortly afterward struck the brook which was my guide. So, with many a frightened backward glance. l made for home.
 CHAPTER XVI.
 A Terrifying Sight.
 ' a ND suddenly there came some
 N thing to remind me of my ab- AA sent companions. In the. clear,
 still morning air there sound ed far away the sharp, hard note of single rife shot. paused and listened,
 
 moment I was shocked at the thought that sonne sudden danger might have befaIlen them. But then simpler and more natural explanation came to my mind It was now broad daylight No doubt my absence had been no ticed. They had imagined that I was lost in the woods and had fired this shot to guide me home. It is true that we had made strict resolution against firing, but If 1t seemed to them that I might be in danger they would not hesitate. It was for me now to hurry on as fast as possible and so to reas- sure them.
 was weary and spent, so my prog ress was not so fast as I wished, but at last came into regions which l knew. There was the swamp of the pterodactyls upon my left; there in front of me was the glade of the igua- nodons. Now I was in the last belt of trees which separated me from Fort Challenger. I raised my Nvoice in a cheery shout to allay their fears. No answering greeting came back to me My heart sank at that ominous still ness. I quickened my pace into run. The zareba rose before me, even as l had left it, but the gate was open. rushed in. In the cold morning light it was fearful sight which met my eyes. Our. effects were scattered in wild confusion over the ground, my comrades had disappeared, and close to the smoIdering ashes of our fire the grass was stained crimson with hide ous pool of blood.
 I was so stunned by this sudden shock that for a time I must have nearly lost my reason. Ihave vague recollection, as one remembers a bad dream, of rushing about through the woods all around the empty camp. calling wildly for my companions. No answer came back from the silent shadows. After a long period. during which sat in bewilderment, set my self to try to discover what sudden misfortune could have befallen them. The whole dfsordered appearance of the camp showed that there had been some sort of attack, and the rifle shot no doubt marked the time when 1t had occurred That there should have been only one shot showed that it had been all over in an instant. The rifles still lay upon the ground, and one of them Lord John's-had the empty cartridge in the breech. The blankets of Chal Ienger and of Summer1ee beside the fire suggested that they had been asleep at the time. The cases of am munition and of food were scattered about in wild litter, together with our unfortunte cameras and plate car riers, but none of them were missing iOn the other hand, all the exposed pro visions-and I remembered that there were a considerable quantity of them were gone. They were animals, then, and not natives, who had made the inroad, 6or surely the latter would have left nothing behind.
 (To Be Continued.0
 After having crashed together dur ing a fog outside of Sandy Hook, the