. In my
tussle with the wolf this vial must have become partly uncorked, for I
became aware of a strong odor diffusing itself about me, and an
overpowering sleepiness getting the better of me. I had drawn the bottle
out, recorked it, and put it away again; but this was no sooner done
than I fell in a sleepy swoon on the roadside.

"I have no idea how long I slept: there is neither day nor night down
there, only a dim sort of twilight, which at times becomes illuminated
by the phosphorescent rays of fishes, or the fitful gleam of ocean
glow-worms. I was startled from my swoon by a rattling, dragging noise,
and came very near being scooped up by an uncouth-looking iron thing
which was attached to a cable. It flashed upon me, stupid as I was, that
this must be a deep-sea dredge; and as I was not at all inclined to be
hauled up on shipboard, in a lot of mud and shells as a rare specimen of
the sea, I got as quickly out of the way as possible.

"But it was now time for me to get on _terra firma,_ as Knops would say,
or dry land, as I prefer to put it. Among the beautiful vermilion leaves
or tentacles of the curious half animals and half flowers I observed a
vine not unlike the honeysuckle, only of tougher fibre. On this I
clambered up to take a look about me, and discovered that I was much
nearer shore than I supposed. Hardly had I done this when, to my horror,
I saw the arms of an octopus stretching towards me, its horid beak
projecting from between its ugly eyes. More alarmed than at any previous
danger, I strove to retain my self-command, but the fearful creature was
already touching me. Remembering, with wits sharpened by distress, the
effect of the drug in my little bottle, I drew out the cork, and making
a sudden lunge, dashed the ether in its face--if you can so call any
part of its disgusting head.

"Instantly it lost all power over its members, curled up in a writhing,
wriggling mass, and I with a bound reached the sandy shore."

CHAPTER XI

Paz, taking a long breath, and looking at Leo to see the effect of his
narrative, went on:

"It was quite time for me to be on land, for in the moonlight, which
bathed everything in silver, were to be seen troops of fays hurrying to
the festival. Some sailed along the shore in mussel shells, others were
on the backs of black swans whose bills looked like coral, and others
were skimming along with their own gauzy wings, or lolling luxuriously
on the feathers of fla