Dick yelled for all he was worth—actually yelled—awoke to find himself yelling and it was no nightmare, either, for [something thick and slimy was twisted around his body] and he was drawn out of the tent, still wrapped in his blanket, all like a flash.
It was awful. Above him he could see the head of the monster plainly, for it was bright moonlight; he put out his hands and tried to tear himself free from that awful thing, which held him captive.
It was wet and slimy; looking down he could see the huge body of the Plesiosaurus dragging itself over the ground and then all at once Charley and Doctor Dan came running out of the tent shouting.
Charley was empty handed, but the half-breed had his rifle and let fly at the monster.
The bullet struck it in the side and glanced off as though it had hit a rock.
The next Dick knew the Plesiosaurus slid into the lake and pulled its neck down, the water closing over poor Dick as Doctor Dan sent another shot flying from the shore.
CHAPTER VI.
MARTIN MUDD HEARS SOMETHING DROP.
Dick gave himself up for lost. The whole thing had struck him so suddenly that he had scarcely time to realize what it all meant when he was in the lake, half crushed in the sinuous folds of that awful neck.
But a change was close at hand.
Dr. Dan’s second bullet struck the monster on the neck, just below the head.