ordingly did. He followed this course for
about half an hour, finding the tongue of firm ground which he was
traversing vary in width, from time to time, from several yards to, in
places, merely enough for a man conveniently to walk upon, while it
twisted hither and thither in the most erratic fashion, although on the
whole it continued to push its way steadily westward toward the heart of
the swamp. Then, glancing at the declining sun, he decided that he must
retrace his steps if he desired to get back to camp before dark.

Thus far, the afternoon's journey had been wholly uneventful, excepting
for the persistent attacks of the myriads of mosquitoes and flies which
swarmed in great clouds about the two adventurers to such an extent that
there were times when they were compelled to halt and beat the pests off
their bodies. But now they had something else than flies and mosquitoes
to think about, for they had scarcely progressed a quarter of a mile on
their return when, as they approached a spot where the firm soil
narrowed to a mere causeway, scarcely two feet in width, Dick, who was
leading, suddenly became aware of a strange and formidable-looking
creature squatting at the far extremity of the causeway, apparently
awaiting their approach.

As his eyes fell upon it Cavendish came to a halt so suddenly that the
Indian in his rear cannoned into him, nearly knocking him into the black
water alongside.

"Steady, Moquit!" exclaimed Dick, addressing his follower in the Indian
tongue, in which he was rapidly acquiring a considerable degree of
proficiency. "Look ahead, Moquit. What is that thing? Have you ever
seen anything like it before?"

"Never, master," answered Moquit, staring with bulging eyes at the
apparition, which in its turn was staring back at them. "I like it not.
Toqui preserve us!"--(Toqui was the name of Moquit's most revered
god)--"it looks like a slayer of men. Had not master better destroy it
with his fire tube, lest it cross over and devour us?"

"I do not think we need greatly fear that," answered Dick, holding his
rifle in readiness nevertheless. "The causeway is too narrow for the
brute to cross. What, in the name of Fortune, can the beast be?" he
concluded in his own tongue.

He might well wonder; for never in his life before had he seen such a
creature, either alive, dead, or even in a picture. And yet--stay! As
he looked at the thing more intently, there seemed to gradually float
i