little friend," said Lord John, caressing his
Express. "But the beast would certainly have a good sporting chance."

Summerlee raised his hand.

"Hush!" he cried. "Surely I hear something?"

From the utter silence there emerged a deep, regular pat-pat. It was
the tread of some animal--the rhythm of soft but heavy pads placed
cautiously upon the ground. It stole slowly round the camp, and then
halted near our gateway. There was a low, sibilant rise and fall--the
breathing of the creature. Only our feeble hedge separated us from
this horror of the night. Each of us had seized his rifle, and Lord
John had pulled out a small bush to make an embrasure in the hedge.

"By George!" he whispered. "I think I can see it!"

I stooped and peered over his shoulder through the gap. Yes, I could
see it, too. In the deep shadow of the tree there was a deeper shadow
yet, black, inchoate, vague--a crouching form full of savage vigor and
menace. It was no higher than a horse, but the dim outline suggested
vast bulk and strength. That hissing pant, as regular and full-volumed
as the exhaust of an engine, spoke of a monstrous organism. Once, as
it moved, I thought I saw the glint of two terrible, greenish eyes.
There was an uneasy rustling, as if it were crawling slowly forward.

"I believe it is going to spring!" said I, cocking my rifle.

"Don't fire! Don't fire!" whispered Lord John. "The crash of a gun in
this silent night would be heard for miles. Keep it as a last card."

"If it gets over the hedge we're done," said Summerlee, and his voice
crackled into a nervous laugh as he spoke.

"No, it must not get over," cried Lord John; "but hold your fire to the
last. Perhaps I can make something of the fellow. I'll chance it,
anyhow."

It was as brave an act as ever I saw a man do. He stooped to the fire,
picked up a blazing branch, and slipped in an instant through a
sallyport which he had made in our gateway. The thing moved forward
with a dreadful snarl. Lord John never hesitated, but, running towards
it with a quick, light step, he dashed the flaming wood into the
brute's face. For one moment I had a vision of a horrible mask like a
giant toad's, of a warty, leprous skin, and of a loose mouth all
beslobbered with fresh blood. The next, there was a crash in the
underwood and our dreadful visitor was gone.

"I thought he wouldn't face the fire," said Lord John, laughing, as he
came back and threw his branc