said, in an
ill-used tone.

Just then there arose from what seemed to be just the other side of the
fire one of the most awful cries I ever heard, and my hair felt as if a
tiny cold hand were stirring it about the roots, while a curious
sensation ran down my back.

As the fearsome howl rang out the doctor levelled his piece, ready to
fire, and as the fire shone full upon him in his half-kneeling position
there was something terribly earnest in his face, and he looked so brave
that it seemed to give me a little courage just when I seemed to have
none.

"Pick up some of those thin branches and throw them on the fire," said
the doctor; and I hurried to obey his command, when there was another
awful howling roar, and the creature, whatever it was, charged at me;
but I threw on the branches all the same, when the fire leaped up with a
tremendous blaze, lighting the forest all round.

"See it, doctor?" I whispered.

"No," he answered; "it keeps in amongst the trees."

The doctor's voice sounded so hoarse and strange that it added to my
trepidation. He stopped, and I wanted him to go on talking, but he
remained silent, while once more the forest resounded with the hideous
cry of the beast.

The wood blazed well, so that I could see, as it were, a circle of
light, and behind us our black shadows were thrown upon the trees, quite
startling me as I looked round.

"Keep up the fire," whispered the doctor; "whatever it is it will not
attack while there is this blaze."

I obeyed him and kept on throwing twigs and boughs that had been laid in
a heap ready, but with a curious sensation of dread the while, for it
seemed to me that if the fire consumed all our wood we should be left at
the creature's mercy.

All at once it seemed to me that the rustling and snuffling noise was
coming round to our left, and as if I had drawn his attention to the
fact, the doctor exclaimed:

"Yes, it is coming on here; keep round this way."

We edged round the fire so as to keep it between us and the animal that
seemed to be watching us, when all at once the sound came from close
behind us, and, as if moved by one impulse, we bounded past the fire,
the pieces I had held in my hand making a crackling blaze and shower of
sparks.

This seemed to excite our assailant, which uttered three hideous roars
at intervals, and each seemed nearer than the last, so that we were
driven to keep on edging round the fire so as to keep it as our shield.