Part 46 (1/2)

Finally we reached her I don't knohat I expected to see, but certainly not that whichoff to the right, away from the stream

My spear was ready I followed

Desiree was standing exactly in the spot where we had left her, screa at the top of her voice

Around her, on every side, was a struggling, pushi+ng htened away from the carcass of the reptile There were hundreds of the on the backs of others, soround beneath the feet of their fellows They did not appear to be actually attacking her, but we could not see distinctly

Thisin a flash and an instant later had dashed forward into the ht

We brought our spears down on the swar to take aih it were a current of water Those we hit either fell or ran; they waited for no second blow

Desiree had ceased her cries

”They won't hurt you!” Harry had shouted ”Where's your spear?”

”Gone They caet it”

”Then kick 'es”

They had the senseless stubbornness of pigs, at least They seemed absolutely unable to realize that their presence was not desired till they actually felt the spear--utterly devoid even of instinct

”So this is what you captured for us at the risk of your life!” I shouted to Harry in disgust ”They haven't even sense enough to squeal”

We finally reached Desiree's side and cleared a space round her But it took us another fifteenand indiscriminate massacre before we routed the brutes When they did decide to go they lost no ti, tu on his spear ”And here's a pretty job Look at that! I wish they'd carry off the dead ones”

”Ugh! The nasty brutes! I was never so frightened in ht,” Harry retorted ”Utterly fungoed I never ran so fast in my life And all you had to do was shake your spear at 'eht it was the roo those things?” Desiree derinned

”Yes, and that isn't all You'll continue to eat 'e as I'ed the bodies down to the edge of the strea three or four for the replenishment of the larder

I then first triedtheusted with it and myself Harry had becoh he had been born in a butcher's shop

”I'd rather go hungry,” I declared, washi+ng my hands and arms in the cool water

”Oh, sure,” said Harry; ”my efforts are never appreciated I've fed you up till you've finally graduated froin to criticize the table I knohat it e your hotel?”

By the time we had finished ere pretty well tired out, but Harry wouldn't hear of rest I was eager ain taking up our spears, we set out across the cavern, this time with Desiree between us She sed Harry's ridicule of her fear and refused to stay behind