Part 16 (2/2)

We bent and cut and sprang to our feet, and dashed for the wall There was a sound of rushi+ng feet--our backs hugged the kindly rock--I heard Harry's shout, ”Here they co at my throat

I felt the blade offlesh, and a warm, thick liquid flow over my hand and arm

Chapter VIII

THE DANCE OF THE SUN

It seemed to me then in the minutes that followed that there were thousands of black de impact I shouted to Harry: ”Keep your back to the wall,” and for response I got a high, ringing laugh that breathed the joy of battle

The thing was sickening Harry is a natural fighting man; I am not

Without the wall at our backs ould have been overpowered in thirty seconds; as it ere forced to handle half a dozen of theed in froe of being able to see us

They clutched s, my body; there was no room to strike; I pushed the knife hos and feet and tried to bringat the head of one whose teeth were set in my calf, I cut myself on the knee It was difficult to stand in the wet, slippery pool that formed at my feet

Suddenly I heard a sound that I understood too well--the curious, rattling sound of a led

”Harry!” I cried, and I fought like a wild et to him, with knife, feet, hands, teeth I reached his coat, his arerous to strike so near hiround

Then I found the taut, straining fingers about his throat, and lunged forith the knife--and the fingers relaxed

Again ere fighting together side by side

As their bodies fell in front of us ere pressed harder, for those behind climbed up on the corpses of their fellows and literally descended on our heads froer; our breath was coasps; Harry stumbled on one of the prostrate brutes and fell; I tried to lift him and was unequal to the task

It appeared to be the end

Suddenly there rang throughout the cavern a sound as of a gigantic, deep-toned bell The walls sent it back and forth with deafening echoes; it was as though the mountain had descended with one treic, the assault ceased

The effect was indescribable We could see nothing; we er hands clutching at our throats or hairy bodies crushi+ng us to the ground It was as though the horde of unseen devils had round, for many of them had been wounded; a man cannot always reach the spot in the dark This lasted for two or threethose who still had life in the burdens was plainly audible

Gradually that, too, died aith the last reverberations of the mysterious sound that had saved us, and we found ourselves alone--or at least un, except the dim outlines of the prostrate forms at our feet

The cavern was a shahter-house I had had no idea of the desperateness of our defense until I essayed to scrarew faint, and Harry was in no better case

Worse, he had dropped his knife e sturope round in that unspeakable mess for many minutes before we found it

”Are you hurt, lad?” I asked when once we stood clear

”Nothing bad, I think,” he answered ”My throat is stiff, and two or three of the brutes got their teeth in me In the name of Heaven, Paul, what are they? And as that bell?”