"Is that so?" asked Jack, becoming interested. "But they are dangerous, all the same, are they not?"
"Oh, yes; I suppose they could tear you all to pieces with their big claws."
"Suppose we begin shooting at them?"
"All right."
The next minute the two were blazing away at the crablike creatures.
Jack noticed that every time a bullet hit one of their claws it would immediately drop from the creature's body. The fire, which was still steadily burning, made sufficient light for them to see within the radius of a dozen yards.
When the two had either killed or disabled all the land crabs they could see, they turned their gaze about to see if there was any avenue open for them to leave the place.
Presently they observed a narrow passage to the left of them, which seemed to run through a solid wall of 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.