CHAPTER XI "For once I was the Hero"

LordJohnRoxtonwasrightwhenhethoughtthatsomespeciallytoxicqualitymightlieinthebiteofthehorriblecreatureswhichhadattackedus.Onthemorningafterourfirstadventureupontheplateau,bothSummerleeandIwereingreatpainandfever,whileChallenger'skneewassobruisedthathecouldhardlylimp.Wekepttoourcampallday,therefore,LordJohnbusyinghimself,withsuchhelpaswecouldgivehim,inraisingtheheightandthicknessofthethornywallswhichwereouronlydefense.IrememberthatduringthewholelongdayIwashauntedbythefeelingthatwewerecloselyobserved,thoughbywhomorwhenceIcouldgivenoguess. SostrongwastheimpressionthatItoldProfessorChallengerofit,whoputitdowntothecerebralexcitementcausedbymyfever.AgainandagainIglancedroundswiftly,withtheconvictionthatIwasabouttoseesomething,butonlytomeetthedarktangleofourhedgeorthesolemnandcavernousgloomofthegreattreeswhicharchedaboveourheads.Andyetthefeelinggreweverstrongerinmyownmindthatsomethingobservantandsomethingmalevolentwasatourveryelbow.IthoughtoftheIndiansuperstitionoftheCurupuri—thedreadful,lurkingspiritofthewoods—andIcouldhaveimaginedthathisterriblepresencehauntedthosewhohadinvadedhismostremoteandsacredretreat. Thatnight(ourthirdinMapleWhiteLand)wehadanexperiencewhichleftafearfulimpressionuponourminds,andmadeusthankfulthatLordJohnhadworkedsohardinmakingourretreatimpregnable.Wewereallsleepingroundourdyingfirewhenwewerearoused—or,rather,Ishouldsay,shotoutofourslumbers—byasuccessionofthemostfrightfulcriesandscreamstowhichIhaveeverlistened.IknownosoundtowhichIcouldcomparethisamazingtumult,whichseemedtocomefromsomespotwithinafewhundredyardsofourcamp.Itwasasear-splittingasanywhistleofarailway-enginebutwhereasthewhistleisaclear,mechanical,sharp-edgedsound,thiswasfardeeperinvolumeandvibrantwiththeuttermoststrainofagonyandhorror.Weclappedourhandstoourearstoshutoutthatnerve-shakingappeal.Acoldsweatbrokeoutovermybody,andmyheartturnedsickatthemiseryofit.Allthewoesoftorturedlife,allitsstupendousindictmentofhighheaven,itsinnumerablesorrows,seemedtobecenteredandcondensedintothatonedreadful,agonizedcry.Andthen,underthishigh-pitched,ringingsoundtherewasanother,moreintermittent,alow,deep-chestedlaugh,agrowling,throatygurgleofmerrimentwhichformedagrotesqueaccompanimenttotheshriekwithwhichitwasblended.Forthreeorfourminutesonendthefearsomeduetcontinued,whileallthefoliagerustledwiththerisingofstartledbirds.Thenitshutoffassuddenlyasitbegan.Foralongtimewesatinhorrifiedsilence.ThenLordJohnthrewabundleoftwigsuponthefire,andtheirredglarelituptheintentfacesofmycompanionsandflickeredoverthegreatboughsaboveourheads. "Whatwasit?"Iwhispered. "Weshallknowinthemorning,"saidLordJohn."Itwasclosetous—notfartherthantheglade." "Wehavebeenprivilegedtooverhearaprehistorictragedy,thesortofdramawhichoccurredamongthereedsupontheborderofsomeJurassiclagoon,whenthegreaterdragonpinnedthelesseramongtheslime,"saidChallenger,withmoresolemnitythanIhadeverheardinhisvoice."Itwassurelywellformanthathecamelateintheorderofcreation.Therewerepowersabroadinearlierdayswhichnocourageandnomechanismofhiscouldhavemet.Whatcouldhissling,histhrowing-stick,orhisarrowavailhimagainstsuchforcesashavebeenlooseto-night?Evenwithamodernrifleitwouldbealloddsonthemonster." "IthinkIshouldbackmylittlefriend,"saidLordJohn,caressinghisExpress."Butthebeastwouldcertainlyhaveagoodsportingchance." Summerleeraisedhishand. "Hush!"hecried."SurelyIhearsomething?" Fromtheuttersilencethereemergedadeep,regularpat-pat.Itwasthetreadofsomeanimal—therhythmofsoftbutheavypadsplacedcautiouslyupontheground.Itstoleslowlyroundthecamp,andthenhaltednearourgateway.Therewasalow,sibilantriseandfall—thebreathingofthecreature.Onlyourfeeblehedgeseparatedusfromthishorrorofthenight.Eachofushadseizedhisrifle,andLordJohnhadpulledoutasmallbushtomakeanembrasureinthehedge. "ByGeorge!"hewhispered."IthinkIcanseeit!" Istoopedandpeeredoverhisshoulderthroughthegap.Yes,Icouldseeit,too.Inthedeepshadowofthetreetherewasadeepershadowyet,black,inchoate,vague—acrouchingformfullofsavagevigorandmenace.Itwasnohigherthanahorse,butthedimoutlinesuggestedvastbulkandstrength.Thathissingpant,asregularandfull-volumedastheexhaustofanengine,spokeofamonstrousorganism.Once,asitmoved,IthoughtIsawtheglintoftwoterrible,greenisheyes.Therewasanuneasyrustling,asifitwerecrawlingslowlyforward. "Ibelieveitisgoingtospring!"saidI,cockingmyrifle. "Don'tfire!Don'tfire!"whisperedLordJohn."Thecrashofaguninthissilentnightwouldbeheardformiles.Keepitasalastcard." "Ifitgetsoverthehedgewe'redone,"saidSummerlee,andhisvoicecrackledintoanervouslaughashespoke. "No,itmustnotgetover,"criedLordJohn"butholdyourfiretothelast.PerhapsIcanmakesomethingofthefellow.I'llchanceit,anyhow." ItwasasbraveanactaseverIsawamando.Hestoopedtothefire,pickedupablazingbranch,andslippedinaninstantthroughasallyportwhichhehadmadeinourgateway.Thethingmovedforwardwithadreadfulsnarl.LordJohnneverhesitated,but,runningtowardsitwithaquick,lightstep,hedashedtheflamingwoodintothebrute'sface.ForonemomentIhadavisionofahorriblemasklikeagianttoad's,ofawarty,leprousskin,andofaloosemouthallbeslobberedwithfreshblood.Thenext,therewasacrashintheunderwoodandourdreadfulvisitorwasgone. "Ithoughthewou