The Very Young Man got to his feet and stood on the bulge of the rug. Then he jumped into the air and landed solidly on his heels. There was a sharp crack as the shell of the insect broke under the sharpness of his blow.
"That did it; that'll do it!" he shouted. Then he leaped again.
"Let me," said the Big Business Man. "I'm heavier"; and he, too, stamped upon the rug with his heels.
They could hear the huge shell of the insect's back smash under his weight, and when he jumped again, the squash of its body as he mashed it down.
"Wait," said the Doctor. "We've killed it."
They eased upon the rug a little, but there was no movement from beneath.
"Jump on it harder," said the Very Young Man. "Don't let's take a chance. Mash it good."
The Big Business Man continued stamping violently upon the rug; joined now by the Very Young Man. The Doctor sat on the floor beside it, breathing heavily; the Banker lay in a heap at its foot in utter collapse.
As they stamped, the rug continued to flatten down; it sank under their tread with a horrible, sickening, squashing sound.
"Let's look," suggested the Very Young Man. "It must be dead"; and he threw back a corner of the rug. The men turned sick and faint at what they saw.