epare for a desperate
fight."

They all eyed the dark cloud fearfully. Before long it reached the
frightened group and began to envelop them. Every nose sniffed the
cloud--and every one detected in it the odor of salt and pepper.

"The Rak!" shouted Private Files, and with a howl of despair the
sixteen officers fell to the ground, writhing and moaning in anguish.
Queen Ann sat down upon a rock and faced the cloud more bravely,
although her heart was beating fast. As for Files, he calmly loaded his
gun and stood ready to fight the foe, as a soldier should.

They were now in absolute darkness, for the cloud which covered the sky
and the setting sun was black as ink. Then through the gloom appeared
two round, glowing balls of red, and Files at once decided these must
be the monster's eyes.

He raised his gun, took aim and fired.

There were several bullets in the gun, all gathered from an excellent
bullet-tree in Oogaboo, and they were big and hard. They flew toward
the monster and struck it, and with a wild, weird cry the Rak came
fluttering down and its huge body fell plump upon the forms of the
sixteen officers, who thereupon screamed louder than before.

"Badness me!" moaned the Rak. "See what you've done with that dangerous
gun of yours!"

"I can't see," replied Files, "for the cloud formed by your breath
darkens my sight!"

"Don't tell me it was an accident," continued the Rak, reproachfully,
as it still flapped its wings in a helpless manner. "Don't claim you
didn't know the gun was loaded, I beg of you!"

"I don't intend to," replied Files. "Did the bullets hurt you very
badly?"

"One has broken my jaw, so that I can't open my mouth. You will notice
that my voice sounds rather harsh and husky, because I have to talk
with my teeth set close together. Another bullet broke my left wing, so
that I can't fly; and still another broke my right leg, so that I can't
walk. It was the most careless shot I ever heard of!"

"Can't you manage to lift your body off from my commanding officers?"
inquired Files. "From their cries I'm afraid your great weight is
crushing them."

"I hope it is," growled the Rak. "I want to crush them, if possible,
for I have a bad disposition. If only I could open my mouth, I'd eat
all of you, although my appetite is poorly this warm weather."

With this the Rak began to roll its immense body sidewise, so as to
crush the officers more easily; but in doing this it rolled completely
o