What if he should overtake the monster and run into him? he could not help thinking; but there was no such danger, for old P. D. went faster than he could go by far, and yet to Dick it seemed as though he was sliding down with lightning speed.
When he reached the level ridge below he struck it with such force that he went over on his face, hitting his head and knocking the wits out of him for the moment.
The next he knew he was scrambling up trying to save himself from slipping over the edge of another precipice, the ground slipping away under his feet.
Dick drew back in horror just in time to save himself.
Springing aside on the firmer ground, he found himself looking down into a deep, narrow valley inclosed on all sides.
There was a lake at the bottom of this valley, and Dick saw old P. D. in the act of slipping into it.
The monster threw up its head as the big body sank beneath the water, and gave one parting bellow, and after that Dick saw him no more, nor did he think of him, for there lying upon the ground at no great distance away was Dr. Dan.
Dick ran to the guide and tried to raise him up.
The unfortunate man seemed to be entirely unconscious, and yet there was no sign of any wound upon him.
Dick began to think that it was pretty well demonstrated that the Plesiosaurus did not feed on human flesh. The monster had just squeezed the life out of poor Dr. Dan and dropped him before it started on its second descent, that was all.