The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1925-05-12
cnNrrNn = CnnllnneA

Tho moment NO attempted 10 re,
treat tho circle closed IN upon MS,
un.l tho tips OF the wings Of those
nearest TO us nearly touched our
raecs. we beat at them with The
stocks Of our guns, but thcre9Nas
nothing solid or vulnerable tostrikc.
Then suddenly out OF the whlEEing,
Slate,colored circle a long neck shot
out, and fierce bcak made
thrust AZ us. Another and another
followed. Summarize gave cry
and put his hand to a. face. from
which the blood was streaming, I
felt "a prod az tho back % my neck
and turned diary cwith the shock
Challenger fell and as ! stopped 10
nick him up / WAS again struck
from behind and dropped on the
top Of him AZ the same instant
/ heard the crash OF Lord Johns
elephant gun, and. looking up, saw
one OF the creatures with a broken
wing struggling upon the ground.
splitting and gurgling az us with a
wide.opeued beak and bloodshet,
goggled eyes. like some devil 10 IA
medieval picture, It's comrades had
flown higher az the sudden sound.
and were cireiinE above our heads,
Vow, cried Lord john, NOV
for our lyes''
we staggered thru the brush,
wood. and sven as We reached tho
trees the harpies were on as again,
Summerlee was knocked down, hut
We tore him up and rushed among
the trunks. once therc we were
safe. Tor those huge wings had no
space for their sweep beneath the
branches. As We limped home,
wards. sadly maulel and dtscom
fitted We saw them for long time
riying at a great height against the
deep blue sky above our heads.
soaring round and round. no btg.
ser than Wild pigeons, with their
eyes no doubt still following our
progress, AZ last. however. as VIC
reached the thicker woods they
gave up the chase. and we saw
them no more.
- most interesting and conyine-
ing experience. said Challenger, as
We halted beside the brook and he
hathed u swollen knee I'VE are
exceptionally well informed. as TO
the habits OF the enraged ptero-
dactyl"
Summarize was wiping the blood
from cut in his forehead. while
was tying up a nasty stab in
the muscle OF the neck Lord John
had the shoulder Of hts coat torn
away. but the creatures teeth had
only grazed the flesh
~It IS worth noting" CHALLENGES
continued. 'that our young friend
tsRs received an undoubted stab
while Lori Johns coat could onls
have been torn by bite. In ms
own case. was beaten about the
head by their wings. so We hays
had a remarkable exhibition OF the.l
various methods Of offence
1T has been touch and 80 fo'
our lives" said Lord John. grave
liz. and could not think % q
more rotten sort OF death than &
be outed by such filthy yernin.
was sorry 10 fire my rifle. but, bl
.Jove. there was no great choice.
eve should not be here II yot
hadn't said I. with conviction.
ut may do no HARM, said he
rAmong these woods there mus
he many loud cracks from SPLITTING
or falling trees which would b
lust like the sound OF a gun Blu
now. II you are OF my opinion. VI
have had thrills enough for on
day. and had best get back to tn
surgical box az the camp for som
carbolic. who knows what venom
these beasts may have IN thei
fideous jaws7"
But surely no men ever had ius
such day since the world bcgar
Some fresh surprise was ever j
store for US. when following "a
course OF our brook. we II las
reached our glade and saw tn
fhorny tarricadc Of our camp. W
thought that our adventures wer
NJ an end. But we had somethin
more 10 think pf before we coul
rest. The gate Of Fort Challenge
had been untouched, the walls wei
unbroken. and yet ii had been visit
ed by some strange and powerf'
creature In our absence. No foo
mark showed a trace Of it's natur
and only the ovcrhangiug branch {
an enormous giuko tree suggeste
how Il might have come and gon
hut OF it's malevolent strength ther
was ample evidence in the conditio
OF our stores. They were strew
at random all over tho ground an
one tin OF meat had been crushe
into pieces so as to extract II
contents A case Of cartridges ha