with apprehension on Perry's behalf to consider aught other than
a means to save him from the death that loomed so close.

Realizing that I could outdistance the clumsy brute in the open,
I dropped from my leafy sanctuary intent only on distracting the
thing's attention from Perry long enough to enable the old man to
gain the safety of a larger tree. There were many close by which
not even the terrific strength of that titanic monster could bend.

As I touched the ground I snatched a broken limb from the tangled
mass that matted the jungle-like floor of the forest and, leaping
unnoticed behind the shaggy back, dealt the brute a terrific blow.
My plan worked like magic. From the previous slowness of the beast
I had been led to look for no such marvelous agility as he now
displayed. Releasing his hold upon the tree he dropped on all
fours and at the same time swung his great, wicked tail with a
force that would have broken every bone in my body had it struck
me; but, fortunately, I had turned to flee at the very instant that
I felt my blow land upon the towering back.

As it started in pursuit of me I made the mistake of running along
the edge of the forest rather than making for the open beach. In a
moment I was knee-deep in rotting vegetation, and the awful thing
behind me was gaining rapidly as I floundered and fell in my efforts
to extricate myself.

A fallen log gave me an instant's advantage, for climbing upon it
I leaped to another a few paces farther on, and in this way was able
to keep clear of the mush that carpeted the surrounding ground. But
the zigzag course that this necessitated was placing such a heavy