Its eyes were not upon Bradley, who drew himself to a squatting
position and crouched as far back in the corner of the niche in
which the platform was set as he could force himself. The Wieroo
stepped to the edge of the platform and dumped the rubbish into
the stream. If it turned away from him as it started to retrace
its steps to the doorway, there was a small chance that it might
not see him; but if it turned toward him there was none at all.
Bradley held his breath.

The Wieroo paused a moment, gazing down into the water, then it
straightened up and turned toward the Englishman. Bradley did
not move. The Wieroo stopped and stared intently at him.
It approached him questioningly. Still Bradley remained as
though carved of stone. The creature was directly in front
of him. It stopped. There was no chance on earth that it would
not discover what he was.

With the quickness of a cat, Bradley sprang to his feet and with
all his great strength, backed by his heavy weight, struck the
Wieroo upon the point of the chin. Without a sound the thing
crumpled to the platform, while Bradley, acting almost
instinctively to the urge of the first law of nature, rolled the
inanimate body over the edge into the river.

Then he looked at the open doorway, crossed the platform and
peered within the apartment beyond. What he saw was a large
room, dimly lighted, and about the side rows of wooden vessels
stacked one upon another. There was no Wieroo in sight, so the
Englishman entered. At the far end of the room was another door,
and as he crossed toward it, he glanced into some of the vessels,