two long muscular arms covered
with reddish hair were slowly descending. Another instant and the
great stealthy hands would have been round my throat. I sprang
backwards, but quick as I was, those hands were quicker still. Through
my sudden spring they missed a fatal grip, but one of them caught the
back of my neck and the other one my face. I threw my hands up to
protect my throat, and the next moment the huge paw had slid down my
face and closed over them. I was lifted lightly from the ground, and I
felt an intolerable pressure forcing my head back and back until the
strain upon the cervical spine was more than I could bear. My senses
swam, but I still tore at the hand and forced it out from my chin.
Looking up I saw a frightful face with cold inexorable light blue eyes
looking down into mine. There was something hypnotic in those terrible
eyes. I could struggle no longer. As the creature felt me grow limp
in his grasp, two white canines gleamed for a moment at each side of
the vile mouth, and the grip tightened still more upon my chin, forcing
it always upwards and back. A thin, oval-tinted mist formed before my
eyes and little silvery bells tinkled in my ears. Dully and far off I
heard the crack of a rifle and was feebly aware of the shock as I was
dropped to the earth, where I lay without sense or motion.

I awoke to find myself on my back upon the grass in our lair within the
thicket. Someone had brought the water from the brook, and Lord John
was sprinkling my head with it, while Challenger and Summerlee were
propping me up, with concern in their faces. For a moment I had a
glimpse of the human spirits behind their scientific masks. It was
really shock, rather than any injury, which had prostrated me, and in
half-an-hour, in spite of aching head and stiff neck, I was sitting up
and ready for anything.

"But you've had the escape of your life, young fellah my lad," said
Lord Roxton. "When I heard your cry and ran forward, and saw your head
twisted half-off and your stohwassers kickin' in the air, I thought we
were one short. I missed the beast in my flurry, but he dropped you
all right and was off like a streak. By George! I wish I had fifty
men with rifles. I'd clear out the whole infernal gang of them and
leave this country a bit cleaner than we found it."

It was clear now that the ape-men had in some way marked us down, and
that we were watched on every side. We had not so much to fear fr