The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1925-03-19

"A most interesting and coavinc-
Ing experience" ssi5 challenger, as
we halted beside the brook and he
bathed a swollen knee. I'VE are
exceptionally well informed as to the
habits Of the enraged pteroGactyl. "
Summerlee was wiping the blood
| from a cut in his forehead. while
was tying up nasty stab in the
muscle Of the neck. Lord John had
the shoulder Of his coat torn away,
but the creatures teeth had only
grazed the flesh
at Is worth noting" Challenger
continued, that our young friend
has received an undoubted stab,
while Lord JOINS coat could only
have been torn by bite. In my
own case, was beaten about the
head by their wings, so we have
had remarkable exhibition of their
various methods OF offence"
1T has been touch and go for
our lives" said Lord John, gravely,
land l could not think OF more
rotten sort OF death than to be
outed by such filthy verrnin. Y was
sorry to fire my rife, but. by Jove.
there was no great choice"
1--WE should not be here II you
hadn't" said l, with convictions.
1T may do no HARM" said he
Among these woods there must
be many loud cracks from splitting
or falling trees which would be just
like the sound Of a gun. But now,
If you are of my opinion, we have
had thrills enough for one. day, and
had best get back to the surgical
box at the camp for some carbolic
Who knows what venom these
beasts may have in their hideous
jaws?"
But surely no men ever had just
such day since the world began.
Some fresh surprise was ever In
store for us. When, following the
course OF our brook. we at last
reached our glade and saw the
thorny barricade Of our camp, we
thought that our adventures were
at an end. But we had something
more to think Of before we could
rest. The gate OF Fort Challenger
had been untouched, the walls were
unbroken, and yet 1t had been
visited by some strange and power:
full creature in our. absence. No
foot-mark showed trace OF It's
nature, and only the overhanging
branch Of the enormous ginko tree
suggested how 1t might have come
and gone; but of its malevolent
strength there was ample evidence
In the condition of our stores. They
were strewn at random all over the
ground. and one tin of meat had
been crushed into pieces so as to
extract the contents. A case Of
cartridges had been shattered into
matchwood, and one of the brass
shells lay shredded into pieces, be-
side. 1t. Again the feeling OF vague
horror came upon our souls. and we
gazed round with frightened eyes
at the dark shadows which lay
around us, in all of which some fear
some shape might be lurking. How
good 1t was when we were hailed by
the voice Of Zambo, and, going to
the edge of the plateau, saw him
sitting grinning at Us upon the top
Of the opposite pinnacle.
IAN well, Massa Challenger, all
wellp he cried. ME stay here. No
fear. You always find me when you
want"
His honest black face, and the
immense view before us, which
carried us halfway back, to the at
fluent Of the Amazon, helped us to
remember that we really were upon
this earth In the twentieth century,
and had not by some magic been
conveyed to some raw planet in its
earliest and widest state. How diff
ficult 1t was to realize that the violet
line upon the far horizon was well
advanced to that great river upon
which huge steamers ran, and folk
talked Of the small affairs Of life,
while we, marooned among the crea-
lures of a bygone age, could but
gaze towards 1t and yearn for all
that it meant
Loru John strolied over In my di-
rection.
II say, Malone" said he, do you
remember that place where those
beasts were?"
Very clearly"
"A sort of volcanic pit, was it
not?"
Exactly" said I.
did you notice the soil?"
,t"Rocks.
But round the water-where the
reeds were?"
1T was a blush soil. It looked
like clay"
Exactly. A volcanic tube full Of
blue. clay"
What Of that?" I asked.
"Oh, nothing, nothing" said he.
CHAPTER XII
For Once ! was the Hero"
Lord John Roxton was right when