depths.

"Now, he is mad," thought Otter, "who ties himself to such a fish as
this, for it will drown me ere it dies."

Had Otter been any other man, doubtless this would have been so. But
he was as nearly amphibious as a human being can be, and could dive and
swim and hold his breath, yes, and see beneath the surface as well as
the animal from which he took his name. Never did such gifts stand their
owner in better stead than during the minutes of this strange duel.

Twice the tortured reptile sank to the bottom of the pool--and its depth
was great--dragging the dwarf after it, though, as it chanced, between
dives it rose to the surface, giving him time to breathe. A third time
it dived, and Otter must follow it--on this occasion to the mouth of one
of the subterranean exits of the water, into which the dwarf was sucked.
Then the brute turned, heading up the pool with the speed of a hooked
salmon, and Otter, who had prayed that the line would break, now prayed
that it might hold, for he knew that even he could never hope to swim
against that undertow.

It held, and once more they rose to the surface, where the reptile
lay lashing the waters in its pain, blood pouring from its mouth and
nostrils. Very glad was Otter to be able to breathe again, for during
that last rush he had gone near to suffocation. He lifted his head,
inhaling the air with great gulps, and saw that the banks of the
pool were lined with spectators who shouted and surged in their mad
excitement. After that he did not see much more for a while, since just
then it seemed to occur to the crocodile for the first time that the man
alongside of him was the cause of his suffering; at least it wallowed
round, causing the waters to boil about its horny sides, and charged
him. With its fangs it could not bite, therefore it struck at him with
its tail.

Twice Otter dived, avoiding the blows, but the third time he was not so
successful, for the reptile followed him into the deep water and dealt
him a fearful stroke before he could either sink or rise. He felt the
rough scales cut into his flesh and a sensation as though every bone in
his body was breaking and his eyes were starting from his head. Faintly
and more faintly he struggled, but in vain, for now life and sense were
leaving him together, and everything grew black.

But suddenly there came a change, and Otter knew vaguely that again he
was being dragged through the water and over rock. Then darknes