lizards, and offered my body to its attack. The challenge was
accepted. It swooped like a dropping stone, and I swerved and
drove in the lance at its oozy eye.

I thanked the Gods then that I had been trained with the lance
till certain aim was a matter of instinct with me. The blade went
true to its mark and stuck there, and the shaft broke in my hand.
The beast drew off, blinded and bellowing, and beating the sea with
its paddles. In a great cataract of foam I saw it bend its great
long neck, and rub its head (with the spear still fixed) against
its back, thereby enduring new agonies, but without dislodging the
weapon. And then presently, finding this of no avail, it set off
for the place from which it came with extraordinary quickness, and
rapidly grew smaller against the horizon.

The male and the other female lizard had also left us, but not
in similar plight. Tob, the captain, seeing my resolve to take
hazards, deliberately thrust a shipman into the jaws of each of the
others, so that they might be sated and get them gone. It was
clear that Tob dreaded very much for his own skin if I came by
harm, and I thought with a warming heart of the threats that Tatho
must have used in his kind anxiety for my safety. It is pleasant
when one's old friends do not omit to pay these little attentions.



3. A RIVAL NAVY


Now, when we came up with the coasts of Atlantis, though Tob,