own fins
fanning the air like grotesque wings, the serpent lashed out towards us,
coming at amazing speed.

* * * * *

Correy, sure that he was observed by the serpent, leaped down from the
huge leaf upon which he had been standing. Hendricks and I, followed by
our men, scrambled desperately toward the deep path or lane that
Correy's ray had cut through the tangled, stinking growth. Correy's plan
had given some promise of success, had we had time to put it into proper
operation. As it was, neither Hendricks or I had had time to get into
position.

Hendricks, on my right, was working his way as rapidly as possible
toward the path, but he had a long way to go. Unless a miracle happened,
he would be too late to help. The portable ray machines would be
helpless against such a mighty bulk, except at close range.

I reached the path and glanced hastily to the right, the direction, from
which the great serpent was sweeping down on us. He was less than the
_Ertak's_ length away.

"Hide, men!" I ordered. "Under the vegetation--in the muck--anywhere!" I
glanced down the lane to the left, and saw, to my relief, that Correy
and his men were a goodly distance away, and still far from the end of
the swath their ray had cut for them. Then, with the monster towering
almost over my head. I darted behind a spongy, spotted growth,
listening, above the pounding of my heart, to the rapid slithering of
the serpent's ponderous body.

Of a sudden the sound stopped. I was conscious of an excited warning
from Hendricks: "He's stopped, sir! _Run!_ He's seen you ... he--"

Startled, I glanced up--directly into the hideous face of the snake.

* * * * *

It seemed to me he was grinning. His mouth was partially open, and the
pale, writhing barbels that surrounded his mouth seemed to reach out
toward me. The long and graceful antennae were bent downward
inquiringly, quivering tensely, and his small eyes glowed like
wind-fanned coals of fire. The brownish fins were rigid as metal, the
retractile claws unsheathed and cruelly curved. He was so close that I
could hear the air rushing through his crater-like breathing holes.

For an instant we stared at each other; he with confident gloating:
myself, too startled and horrified to move. Then, as his head shot
downward, I leaped aside.

The scaly head raked the clothes from one side of my body, and sent me,
sprawling and breathless,