“I must have been a long time insensible, and he must have carried me a great distance,” moaned poor Topsie to herself, as the horror of her position gradually forced itself upon her. And if her surmise was correct, she reflected with all the more despair, that if Shag was alive, he would not be able to trace her. In spite of herself, Topsie groaned aloud. In a moment the hairy man had turned and fixed his dark eyes upon her. Topsie could not help observing that they were beautiful eyes, with all the lustre and softness of the gazelle. He had evidently no intention of harming her; he was clearly no cannibal. On the contrary, he seemed tenderly solicitous for her safety and comfort. At least it so seemed, for he came over to her side and offered her a large rosy-cheeked apple, which he had apparently but lately plucked from a tree which grew near, and which was loaded with them.
Being terribly thirsty, and not a little hungry, the girl gratefully accepted the proffered fruit, and pressed it to her hot lips. It was deliciously cool and juicy, and proved exceedingly refreshing. Nevertheless, it did not altogether appease her thirst, and she looked about her to see if she could detect any evidence of water in any direction.
Failing in her eye quest, she felt that she must appeal to her strange companion. Half closing her hand, she laid it on the ground, and made signs as if she was ladling water to her mouth from an imaginary stream.
In a moment the silent, hairy man seemed to understand her, for he bent over her, lifted her in his arms as though she had been a feather, and strode through the forest at a quick, swinging pace. In a short time the sound of running water struck on Topsie’s ears, and a few minutes later they passed into a sort of natural glade, across whose path foamed and tossed a sparkling mountain torrent. At the sight of the water Topsie struggled to get free; but again she felt herself held tight by the same herculean strength which had restrained her on a former occasion. Her captor evidently feared that she would attempt to escape.
“Let me go, let me go!” cried poor Topsie, struggling vainly in his powerful grasp, and then, as the hopelessness of her position rushed through her mind, she burst into a passionate flood of tears.
In an instant the strange creature let go his hold, and stared at her with a piteous, deprecating expression. Then he put up both his hands to his eyes, as though to shut out from them the picture of her grief. Next he stroked her head, and gave vent to the first sound she had heard him utter, a sort of purring noise, like the purring of a big cat, and lastly, he took her by the hand and led her to the water’s edge, and then let it go.
In spite of her misery, Topsie could not resist the tempting sight of the cool stream. She threw herself face downwards, and took a long deep draught. When she rose up the tears still stood in her eyes, but her sobs were hushed.
This appeared to give the hairy man great pleasure, for he opened his lips and smiled, showing two rows of well-formed, even, and very white teeth, distinctly human in appearance. At the same time a low, soft cry broke forth close at hand, and looking round in the direction whence it came, Topsie found herself face to face with two more hairy beings.
