to the base of the cliffs beyond which my party
awaited me. I knew how anxious they would be for word from me, and I
was equally anxious to relieve their minds and also to get them and our
supplies well within Caspak, so that we might set off about our
business of finding and rescuing Bowen Tyler; but the pterodactyl's
carcass had scarcely fallen before I was surrounded by at least a dozen
of the hideous things, some large, some small, but all bent upon my
destruction. I could not cope with them all, and so I rose rapidly
from among them to the cooler strata wherein they dared not follow; and
then I recalled that Bowen's narrative distinctly indicated that the
farther north one traveled in Caspak, the fewer were the terrible
reptiles which rendered human life impossible at the southern end of
the island.

There seemed nothing now but to search out a more northerly
landing-place and then return to the Toreador and transport my
companions, two by two, over the cliffs and deposit them at the
rendezvous. As I flew north, the temptation to explore overcame me. I
knew that I could easily cover Caspak and return to the beach with less
petrol than I had in my tanks; and there was the hope, too, that I
might find Bowen or some of his party. The broad expanse of the inland
sea lured me out over its waters, and as I crossed, I saw at either
extremity of the great body of water an island--one to the south and
one to the north; but I did not alter my course to examine either
closely, leaving that to a later time.

The further shore of the sea revealed a much narrower strip of land
between the cliffs and the water than upon the western side; but it was
a hillier and more open country. There were splendid landing-places,
and in the distance, toward the north, I thought I descried a village;
but of that I was not positive. However, as I approached the land, I
saw a number of human figures apparently pursuing one who fled across a
broad expanse of meadow. As I dropped lower to have a better look at
these people, they caught the whirring of my propellers and looked
aloft. They paused an instant--pursuers and pursued; and then they
broke and raced for the shelter of the nearest wood. Almost
instantaneously a huge bulk swooped down upon me, and as I looked up, I
realized that there were flying reptiles even in this part of Caspak.
The creature dived for my right wing so quickly that nothing but a
sheer drop could have saved me