fell over itself.

Cossar's form went right down out of sight among the reedy grass, and
then he rose again, running towards another of the rats and whirling his
gun overhead. A faint shout came to Bensington's ears, and then he
perceived the remaining two rats bolting divergently, and Cossar in
pursuit towards the holes.

The whole thing was an affair of misty shadows; all three fighting
monsters were exaggerated and made unreal by the delusive clearness of
the light. At moments Cossar was colossal, at moments invisible. The
rats flashed athwart the eye in sudden unexpected leaps, or ran with a
movement of the feet so swift, they seemed to run on wheels. It was all
over in half a minute. No one saw it but Bensington. He could hear the
others behind him still receding towards the house. He shouted something
inarticulate and then ran back towards Cossar, while the rats vanished.
He came up to him outside the holes. In the moonlight the distribution
of shadows that constituted Cossar's visage intimated calm. "Hullo,"
said Cossar, "back already? Where's the lamps? They're all back now in
their holes. One I broke the neck of as it ran past me ... See? There!"
And he pointed a gaunt finger.

Bensington was too astonished for conversation ...

The lamps seemed an interminable time in coming. At last they appeared,
first one unwinking luminous eye, preceded by a swaying yellow glare,
and then, winking now and then, and then shining out again, two others.
About them came little figures with little voices, and then enormous
shadows. This group made as it were a spot of inflammation upon the
gigantic dreamland of moonshine.