| 62 | 63 | 64 | 65 | 66 |
| 1 | 20 | 41 | 61 | 81 |
|
www.freeclassicebooks.com
Chapter 8
It was a sad leave-taking as in silence I shook hands with each of the three
remaining men. Even poor Nobs appeared dejected as we quit the compound and
set out upon the well-marked spoor of the abductor. Not once did I turn my eyes
backward toward Fort Dinosaur. I have not looked upon it since--nor in all
likelihood shall I ever look upon it again. The trail led northwest until it reached
the western end of the sandstone cliffs to the north of the fort; there it ran into a
well-defined path which wound northward into a country we had not as yet
explored. It was a beautiful, gently rolling country, broken by occasional
outcroppings of sandstone and by patches of dense forest relieved by open, park-
like stretches and broad meadows whereon grazed countless herbivorous
animals--red deer, aurochs, and infinite variety of antelope and at least three
distinct species of horse, the latter ranging in size from a creature about as large
as Nobs to a magnificent animal fourteen to sixteen hands high. These creatures
fed together in perfect amity; nor did they show any great indications of terror
when Nobs and I approached. They moved out of our way and kept their eyes
upon us until we had passed; then they resumed their feeding.
The path led straight across the clearing into another forest, lying upon the verge
of which I saw a bit of white. It appeared to stand out in marked contrast and
incongruity to all its surroundings, and when I stopped to examine it, I found
that it was a small strip of muslin--part of the hem of a garment. At once I was all
excitement, for I knew that it was a sign left by Lys that she had been carried this
way; it was a tiny bit torn from the hem of the undergarment that she wore in lieu
of the night-robes she had lost with the sinking of the liner. Crushing the bit of
fabric to my lips, I pressed on even more rapidly than before, because I now knew
that I was upon the right trail and that up to this point at least, Lys still had
lived.
I made over twenty miles that day, for I was now hardened to fatigue and
accustomed to long hikes, having spent considerable time hunting and exploring
in the immediate vicinity of camp. A dozen times that day was my life threatened
by fearsome creatures of the earth or sky, though I could not but note that the
farther north I traveled, the fewer were the great dinosaurs, though they still
persisted in lesser numbers. On the other hand the quantity of ruminants and
the variety and frequency of carnivorous animals increased. Each square mile of
Caspak harbored its terrors.
At intervals along the way I found bits of muslin, and often they reassured me
when otherwise I should have been doubtful of the trail to take where two crossed
6
4
Page
Quick Jump
|