It turned too, as though looking to find my trampled body, and surprised that I'd survived. It was about thirty feet away, and seemingly resting.
Suddenly from its mouth gushed forth a stream of flame, reaching out for me.
It was only by the merest chance that my grenade-made crater was immediately behind me. I tripped again and fell backward, and the sheet of flame passed over me.
A sigh went up from the stands.
Suddenly, over the ridge it came tearing. Hoping, evidently, to catch me before I recovered from my fall.
It had miscalculated and passed a good six feet to my right. I sprung to my feet and dashed over in time to deal its tail a smashing blow—and to accumulate another dent in my blade.
At this pace, my strength was rapidly giving out, and his seemed as great as ever—but I was still quicker in that my size and build enabled me to turn, spin, dodge, more effectively.
He tried twice more to get me with his flaming breath, and both times I was able to avoid it by inches. Or nearly so, at least. I kept my life, though hair and clothes were singed.
I had worked my way, involuntarily toward the press boxes, and took time to shoot up a desperate glance in Suzi's direction. Her face had lost its coldness now; her lips were parted in fear.