who sensed
through sympathy her lord's disquietude, and the little scout Loob,
who was always, on principle, ill at ease in any spot where there was
no tree to climb, were as eager as their chief to push ahead; and the
others would never have dared, in any case, to question Grom's
decision.

As they rounded the next bend of the cliff, however, a clamor of
excited satisfaction arose from all the party. Straight ahead, and not
fifty paces distant, there opened before them a spacious cave-mouth,
with a somewhat wider strip of beach before it. Immediately beyond the
cave the strip of beach came sharply to an end, and the tide lapped
softly against the foot of the cliff.

But just then, in the moment of their elation, a terrifying thing
happened. As if aroused by their voices, the still surface a few yards
from shore boiled up, and was lashed to foam by the strokes of a
gigantic tail.

"Run!" yelled Grom; and they all dashed forward, there being no chance
to go back. In the same instant, an appalling head--like that of a
thrice magnified and distorted crocodile, with vast, round, painted
eyes--was upthrust from the water and came rushing after them at a
pace which sent up a curving wave before it.

Quick as thought, Grom drew his bow and shot at the appalling head.
The arrow drove straight into the gaping throat, eliciting a
thunderous bellow of rage, but producing no other effect. Then Grom
sprang after his fleeing companions, and raced for his life toward the
cave mouth. The cave might be nothing more than a death-trap for them
all; but it seemed to offer the one possibility of escape.

As they dashed into the cave the awful, gaping head was close behind
them. They had a flashing glimpse, through the gloom, of high-arched
distance melting into blackness, of a strip of black water along the
right, and to the left a gentle ascent of smooth white sand, whose end
was out of sight.

Up this slope they raced, with the clashing of monstrous fangs close
behind them. But they had not gone a dozen strides when the slope
quivered, and heaved upwards shudderingly beneath them; and they all
fell forward flat upon their faces. From all but Grom there went up a
shriek so piercing that in their own ears it disguised the stupendous
rending roar which at that moment seemed to stun the air. The mighty
arch of the cave mouth had slipped and crashed down, completely
jamming the entrance, and opening up a gash of blue heaven above thei