r," replied the lady, opening a door in the
background.

They went out and at once found themselves in a wood, consisting
entirely of oak trees.

"We'll only just have to cross the wood, and we'll be there," said the
lady, beckoning to the pilot to go on, for she did not want to show him
her back.

"I shouldn't wonder if there were a bull somewhere about," said the
pilot, who had all his wits about him.

"Surely you aren't afraid of a bull?" replied the lady.

"We'll see," answered the pilot.

They walked across stony hillocks, tree-roots, moors and fells,
clearings and deep recesses, but Victor could not help turning round
every now and then to see whether she was following him, for he could
not hear her footsteps. And even when he had turned round and had her
right before his eyes he had to look very hard, for her green and yellow
dress made her almost invisible.

At last they came to an open space, and when Victor had reached the
centre of the clearing, there was the bull; it was just as if it had
stood there all the time waiting for him. It was jet black, with a white
star in the middle of its forehead, and the corners of its eyes were
blood-red.

Escape was impossible; there was nothing for it but to fight. Victor
glanced at the ground and behold! there lay a stout cudgel, newly cut.
He seized it and took up his position.

"You or I!" he shouted. "Come on! One--two--three!" The fight began. The
bull backed like a steam-boat, smoke came through its nostrils, it moved
its tail like a propeller, and then came on at full speed.

The cudgel flashed through the air and with a sound like a shot hit the
bull right between the eyes. Victor sprang aside, and the bull dashed
past him. Then everything seemed to change, and Victor, terrified, saw
the monster make for the border of the wood, from whence his sweetheart,
in a light summer dress, emerged to meet him.

"Climb up the tree, Anna," he shouted. "The bull's coming!" It was a cry
of anguish from the very bottom of his soul.

And he ran after the monster and hit it on the slenderest part of
its hind-legs in the hope of breaking its shin-bone. With superhuman
strength he felled the giant. Anna was saved, and the pilot held her in
his arms.

"Where shall we go?" he asked. "Home, of course?"

It did not occur to him to ask her whence she had come, for reasons
which we shall learn hereafter.

They walked along the footpath, hand in hand, happy at their unex