Bevis Part 97

"Red tongue and foam!"

"Hot breath--in such a rage!"

"Lash his tail!"

"Tear the sides of the pit!"

"Don't let's kill him quick. Let's make a spear and stick him a little!"

"Come on."

They seized the poles, all eagerness to return and dig the pit.

"Stupes we were not to do it before."

"Awful stupes."

"We never think of things till so long." Such has been the case with the world since history began. How many thousands of years was it after primeval man first boiled water to the steam-engine? How long from the first rubbing of electron or amber, and a leaping up of little particles to it, to the electric tramway?

They had sailed to the swamp quickly, but it occupied more than an hour to pole back to New Formosa, so that it was the afternoon when they moored the Calypso in the usual place. They were hungry and hastened to the hut, intending to begin the pit directly after dinner, when as they came near, Pan ran on first and barked by the gate. "Ah!"

"He's been!"

They ran, forgetting even to look at the match of the gun. There was nothing in the enclosure; but Pan sniffed outside, and gave two short "yaps" as much as to say, "I know."

"Reeds," said Bevis. "He's in the reeds."

"He heard us coming and slipped off--he's hiding."

"We shall have him! Now!"

"Now directly!"

"This minute!"

With incredible temerity they ran as fast as they could go to the bed of reed-gra.s.s in which they had discovered the trail. Pan barked at the edge; Bevis blew the match.

"Lu--lu--lu! go in!"

"Fetch him out."

"Hess--ess--go in!"

"Now! Have him!"

Pan stopped at the edge and yapped in the air, wagging his tail and hesitating.

"He's there!" said Bevis.

"As sure as sure," said Mark. Their faces were lit up with the wild joy of the combat; as if like hounds they could scent the quarry.

"Go in," shouted Bevis to the spaniel angrily. Pan crouched, but would not go. Mark kicked him, but he would not move.

"Hold it," said Bevis, handing the matchlock to Mark. He seized the spaniel by his s.h.a.ggy neck, lifted and hurled him by main force a few yards crash among the sedges. Pan came out in an instant.

"Go in, I tell you!" shouted Bevis, beside himself with anger; the spaniel shivered at his feet. Again Bevis lifted him, swung him, and hurled him as far this time as the reed-gra.s.s. The next instant Pan was at his feet again. Encouragement, persuasion, threats, blows, all failed; it was like trying to make him climb a tree. The dog could not force his nature. Mark threw dead sticks into the reed-gra.s.s; Bevis flung some stones.

"You hateful wretch!" Bevis stamped his foot. "Get away." Pan ran back. "Give me the gun--I'll go in."

If the dog would not, he would hunt the creature from its lair himself.

"O! stop!" said Mark, catching hold of his arm, "don't--don't go in--you don't know!"

"Let me go."

"I won't."

"I will go."

They struggled with each other.

"Shoot first," said Mark, finding he could not hold him. "Shoot an arrow--two arrows. Here--here's the bow."

Bevis seized the bow and fitted the arrow.

"Shoot where the path is," said Mark. "There--it's there,"--pointing.

Bevis raised the bow. "Now shoot!"

"O!" cried a voice in the reeds, "don't shoot!"

Bevis instantly lowered the bow.

"What?" he said.

"Who's there?" said Mark.

"It's me--don't shoot me!"

"Who are you?"

"Me."

They rushed in and found Loo crouching behind the alder in the reed-gra.s.s; in her hand was a thick stick which she dropped.

"How dare you!" said Bevis.

"How did you get here?" said Mark. "Don't you be angry!" said Loo.

"But how dare you!"