upper canines which were
a trifle longer than the others--protruding just a bit when the mouth
was closed.
When they had examined me for a few moments one of them discovered that
my clothing was not a part of me, with the result that garment by
garment they tore it from me amidst peals of the wildest laughter.
Apelike, they essayed to don the apparel themselves, but their
ingenuity was not sufficient to the task and so they gave it up.
In the meantime I had been straining my eyes to catch a glimpse of
Perry, but nowhere about could I see him, although the clump of trees
in which he had first taken refuge was in full view. I was much
exercised by fear that something had befallen him, and though I called
his name aloud several times there was no response.
Tired at last of playing with my clothing the creatures threw it to the
ground, and catching me, one on either side, by an arm, started off at
a most terrifying pace through the tree tops. Never have I experienced
such a journey before or since--even now I oftentimes awake from a deep
sleep haunted by the horrid remembrance of that awful experience.
From tree to tree the agile creatures sprang like flying squirrels,
while the cold sweat stood upon my brow as I glimpsed the depths
beneath, into which a single misstep on the part of either of my
bearers would hurl me. As they bore me along, my mind was occupied
with a thousand bewildering thoughts. What had become of Perry? Would
I ever see him again? What were the intentions of these half-human
things into whose hands I had fallen? Were they inhabitants of the
same world into which I had been born? No! It could not be. But yet
where else? I had not left that earth--of that I was sure. Still
neither could I reconcile the things which I had seen to a belief that
I was still in the world of my birth. With a sigh I gave it up.
III
A CHANGE OF MASTERS
WE MUST HAVE TRAVELED SEVERAL MILES THROUGH the dark and dismal wood
when we came suddenly upon a dense village built high among the
branches of the trees. As we approached it my escort broke into wild
shouting which was immediately answered from within, and a moment later
a swarm of creatures of the same strange race as those who had captured
me poured out to meet us. Again I was the center of a wildly
chattering horde. I was pulled this way and that. Pinched, pounded,
and thumped until I was black and blue, yet I do not think that their
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