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. It was that had become ignited.
_ The poor boy, who was placed in such a perilous posi-
tion; must have fainted, for beyond the single shriek he
‘ had uttered he remained perfectly silent.
“Of all the horrible-looking creatures, Jack had ever
heard of, this one was the worst. ges
In shape it was as near like a crab as anything it could.
. be compared to, while in-size it.was fully. as large asa
mammoth sea turtle. :
Its claws were something awful to look upon, and Jack
shuddered when he saw that one of them clasped Joe
firmly -by the shoulder,
Just then the match
to his gaze. . as
This served to bring Jack to his senses.
Quick as a flash he had lighted another and drawn his
revolver. ~ Sa
; The monster was making very slow progress with its
intended victim, and, regardless of himself being seized
by it, Jack rushed up and leveled his weapon at one of
its glittering eyes. Ho Tae) pes
Crack ! 7 : :
As the report rang out Jack seized Joe and pulled him
away. rea ES
A cry of joy escaped his lips.
The unconscious boy was: free from the monster.
But at the same time the report of the revolver had
extinguished the match, and Jack did not know whether
he had killed the creature or not. -
__A furious thrashing on the ground told him he had not,
although he judged that it was in the throes of death.
Lighting another match, he started forward to find a
went out, and the sight was lost
place of safety. / . :
A few steps and he. discovered a huge rock, which
was flat on top. = :
Exerting all-his strength, he lifted Joe upon it and
then clambered up himself. 8
It was no easy task for him
tock was over.six feet high.
But fear lent him strength, and he succeeded in getting
upinahurry. | ar
Before he arose to his feet, after reaching the top of
the rock, Jack struck another match.
He found that he was safe for the present, for it was
not at all likely that the monster could get up there.
He concluded to endeavor to bring Joe to conscious-
ness, ees ' Re
He threw the match down at his feet, and then started
to stoop over the boy.
But before he could reach him, a bright flame shot up
fram the spot where the match had fallen.
‘Great Scott!” exclaimed the young Englishman, “I
‘to do so, as the top of the
“have set the rock on fire.”
- Leaving Joe ‘for an instant,.he proceeded to see what
. The flame, which was
still burning with a steady light, made it easy for him to
see,
The spot where the match had fallen was near the
center of the rock, which appeared to be filled with a
mixture of coal dust and pitch, as Jack afterward put It.
The pithy substance seemed to extend clear through the
rock, and as soon as Jack saw what it was that was
burning, he concluded to let it go, as it
$
'
BRAVE AND BOLD.
‘of them, which seemed
furnished him-
a very good light to see what was going on around him.
19
He now-could hear a sharp, clicking noise all around the
‘rock, and a glance showed the place to be alive with
monsters like the one which had started to carry off Joe.
Their huge claws, opening and shutting, caused the
noise. beove sg Fs
Just as Jack was about to turn to Joe again, the boy
opened his eyes. ie
“Where am I?” he gasped, struggling to a sitting pos- -
ture. . ‘ : , ae
“You are all right now, old fellow,” returned Jack, in a -
voice that was meant to be cheerful, though it hardly
expressed it. os : te :
“Oh, I remember”—and a shudder passed over the -
boy’s frame—“some horrible creature was dragging me-
away, and I—I fainted.” :
“That is what you did, Joe. “Why is it you faint away
so often? ‘ You put me-in mind of. a girl sometimes.” |
“Do 1?’—and the face of Joe turned a deep crimson.
“I suppose it is my weak nature that makes me swoon”
every time something awful frightens me; but T won't do
it any more, for it might be the means of ‘us both losing
our lives.” a ee =
“Well, never mind, Joe,” said Jack, in a kindly. tone.
“You are a brave little fellow in times of danger, and I
can’t.blame you for fainting when such a thing as those
down there gets a hold of you.” wes
“Are there any more of them around, then?” .
And the boy shifted his position so as to get a: view:
of the hideous creatures that surrounded the rock.
“Well,” said he, after a pause, “I am not afraid of them
now... If we each had a good club,’ we could jump down
there and kill the whole lot of them in a very few min-
utes. They are nothing but land crabs, though much
larger than any I have ever seen before. A sharp blow
will crush the shell upon them, and then they are help-
less.” :
“Ts that so?” asked Jack, becoming interested. “But . _
they are dangerous, all the same, are they not?” a
“Oh, yes; 1 suppose they could tear you all to pieces
with their big claws.” vee
“Suppose we begin shooting at thent?”
“All right.” - r De
~The next minute the two were blazing away at the
crablike creatures. Tels me
.Jack noticed that every time a bullet hit one of their s
claws it would immediately drop from the creature’s body.
The fire, which was still steadily burning, made suffi-
cient light for them to see within the ‘radius of a dozen
ards. are
When the two had either
land crabs they could see, they
to see if there was any avenue open
the place. ° Pela a
Presently they observed a narrow passage to the left.
to run through a solid wall of ©
killed or disabled all the
turned their gaze about
for them to leave
black rock.
Jack was just going to suggest that they get down
from their perch and investigate, when an animal as large
as a half-grown ox suddenly emerged from the passage. *
In looks it resembled a rhinoceros,, though both Jack
and Joe could see that its back was covered with a shell.
A sharp horn projected from its mouth, and its gleam-
ing eyes flashed like balls of fire. ,