er the uses of vril became familiar to us, all creatures inimical
to us were soon annihilated. Still, once a-year or so, one of these
enormous creatures wanders from the unreclaimed and savage districts
beyond, and within my memory one has seized upon a young Gy who was
bathing in this very lake. Had she been on land and armed with her
staff, it would not have dared even to show itself; for, like all savage
creatures, the reptile has a marvellous instinct, which warns it against
the bearer of the vril wand. How they teach their young to avoid him,
though seen for the first time, is one of those mysteries which you may
ask Zee to explain, for I cannot. The reptile in this instinct does but
resemble our wild birds and animals, which will not come in reach of a
man armed with a gun. When the electric wires were first put up,
partridges struck against them in their flight, and fell down wounded.
No younger generations of partridges meet with a similar accident. So
long as I stand here, the monster will not stir from its lurking-place;
but we must now decoy it forth."

"Will that not be difficult?"

"Not at all. Seat yourself yonder on that crag (about one hundred
yards from the bank), while I retire to a distance. In a short time the
reptile will catch sight or scent of you, and perceiving that you are no
vril-bearer, will come forth to devour you. As soon as it is fairly out
of the water, it becomes my prey."

"Do you mean to tell me that I am to be the decoy to that horrible
monster which could engulf me within its jaws in a second! I beg to
decline."

The child laughed. "Fear nothing," said he; "only sit still."

Instead of obeying the command, I made a bound, and was about to take
fairly to my heels, when Taee touched me slightly on the shoulder, and,
fixing his eyes steadily on mine, I was rooted to the spot. All power of
volition left me. Submissive to the infant's gesture, I followed him
to the crag he had indicated, and seated myself there in silence. Most
readers have seen something of the effects of electro-biology, whether
genuine or spurious. No professor of that doubtful craft had ever been
able to influence a thought or a movement of mine, but I was a mere
machine at the will of this terrible child. Meanwhile he expanded his
wings, soared aloft, and alighted amidst a copse at the brow of a hill
at some distance.

I was alone; and turning my eyes with an indescribable sensation of
horror towards the lake