n height, and almost of an equal breadth. Where the
diminished plates came to an end at the middle of the tail, their
place was taken by eight immense, needle-pointed spines, set in pairs,
of which the chief pair had a length of over two feet. The monster's
hide was set thick with scales and knobs of horn, brilliantly
colored in black, yellow, and green, that his grotesque bulk might
be less noticeable to his foes among the sharp shadows and patchy lights
of the fern jungles where he fed.

The sluggish giant moved nervously, glancing backwards as he came, and
seemed intent upon reaching the water. In a few moments his anxiety
was explained. Leaping in splendid bounds along his broad trail came
two of those same ferocious flesh-eaters whom the great watcher among
the reeds so disliked. They ranged up one on each side of the
stegosaur, who had halted at their approach, stiffened himself, and
drawn his head so far back into the loose skin of his neck that only
the sharp, chopping beak projected from under the first armor-plate.
One of the pair threatened him from the front, as if to engross his
attention, while the other pounced upon one of his massive, bowed
hind-legs, as if seeking to drag it from beneath him and roll him over
on his side.

But at this instant there was a clattering of the plated hide, and
that armed tail lashed out with lightning swiftness, like a
porcupine's. There was a tearing screech from the rash flesh-eater,
and he was plucked back sidewise, all four feet in air, deeply impaled
on three of those gigantic spines. While he clawed and writhed,
struggling to twist himself free, his companion sprang hardily to the
rescue. She hurled herself with all her weight and strength full upon
the stegosaur's now unprotected flank. So tremendous was the impact
that, with a frightened grunt, he was rolled clean over on his side.
But at the same time his sturdy forearms clutched his assailant, and
so crushed, mauled and tore her that she was glad to wrench herself
away.

Coughing and gasping, she bounded backwards out of reach; and then she
saw that her mate, having wriggled off the spines, was dragging
himself up the beach toward the forest, leaving a trail of blood
behind him. She followed sullenly, having had more than enough of the
venture. The triumphant stegosaur rolled himself heavily back upon his
feet, grunted angrily, clattered his armored plates, jerked his
terrible tail from side to side as if to se