Suddenly the fungi parted, and a hideous head was thrust forth, at sight of which Silas and the baronet involuntarily sprang backward. At the same instant a terrified cry burst from the scientist:
“Great Heaven! Megalosaurus!”
[CHAPTER XXIII.]
MUSWANI—MONSTER-FIGHTER.
AY, Megalosaurus! One of the most terrible of the monstrous reptiles which roamed the prehistoric forests of our globe. Often had Mervyn described this fearful brute in his lectures on the subject; often had his students listened open-mouthed to his vivid word-pictures of this and other monsters of the same period; but never did he think to come face to face with the creature, to stand in peril of his life from its fury.
For a moment the brute remained glaring upon its victims, then, giving voice once more to its fear-inspiring cry, it lurched forward from the shelter of the fungi and stood revealed in all its diabolical horror. Terror-stricken as they were, the adventurers gazed with a kind of fascination upon the reptile. There was something so devilish about him as he stood there in the full glare of the fungi, the scaly plates of his hide shimmering like a silver sea with every move he made, and his sabre-like teeth gnashing with fury, that they could do naught but stare. Not one could lift a weapon, save the Ayuti. He alone had not succumbed to the paralysing fascination of the creature.
Moving upon his huge hind legs, his short fore-limbs held kangaroo-wise before him, the saurian shambled through the quarry entrance, the Ayuti, watching keenly for a chance to attack, retreating before him.
“We’re done,” Seymour groaned; “of what use are spears against such a brute? Great Heaven! be careful!”
Forgetting for an instant that he did not understand English, the baronet addressed the warning to Chenobi, who had leapt forward to slash with his great axe at the saurian’s side. He sprang back only just in time to escape the great teeth, which snapped within a hair’s-breadth of his uplifted arm, having gained nothing by his effort.
“This is horrible!” Mervyn cried, “waiting here for death. Can we do nothing against the brute?”