Again Edmund fired upon it, and again it uttered its stridulous pipe of
defiance, or fear, and leaped away in the tangle. We sped in pursuit, and
when we came upon it for the third time it had stopped in an opening so
narrow that the bow of the air ship almost touched it before we were
aware of its presence. This time its prey was no longer visible. There
was no question now that its attitude meant defiance. Cold shivers ran
all over me as, with fascinated eyes, I gazed at its dreadful form. It
seemed to be gathering itself for a spring, and I shrank away in terror.
Crash! bang! bang! bang! sounded the shots once more, and in the midst of
them there came a blinding tangle of bristled, jointed legs that thrashed
the deck, a thud that shook the air ship to its center, and a cry from
Jack, who fell on his back with a crimson line across his face.
"Give me your pistol!" shouted Edmund, snatching my arm.
I hardly know how I got it out of my pocket, I was so unnerved, but it
was no sooner in Edmund's hand than he was leaning over the side of the
deck and pouring out the shots. When the pistol was emptied he
straightened up, and said simply:
"_That_ devil is ended.
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