read of as being common in certain warm countries, coursed through
his mind. If he stirred, the thing might claw or bite, and the merest
scratch was said, in some kinds of these venomous species, to be fatal.

He dared not move, but lay there in a sort of physical coma, though
with every nerve strung to the point of agonized apprehension.

After feeling first with one claw, then another, the creature began to
descend. The first touch upon his face was indescribably loathsome to
Ralph, and as its round, egg-like body came in view, he closed his eyes
and held his breath.

Down to his breast the thing crawled, while the skin of his face
prickled sharply under an imaginary pain. Then he opened his eyes and
beheld a gigantic spider slowly making its way down his clothing.

With a body quite as large as the egg of a hen, and legs in proportion,
it moved slowly, in a groping manner, as if uncertain of its
whereabouts. Ralph fancied he could see its dull, cruel eyes. He lay
as if dead, until the thing had left his person, then recovered his
breath and courage by a vigorous inhalation.

But upon his first move the creature ran along the bottom of the boat
with extraordinary rapidity, and thence along Ben's blanket and body,
pausing only as it reached the sailor's now uncovered head.

There it seemed to look back at Ralph, who did not dare attempt to kill
it, lest it should attack Ben. To his horror the sailor stirred and
opened his eyes drowsily.

"Ben," whispered Ralph, "for goodness sake don't move, as you value
your life. Do as I tell you. It--it may bite you, if you stir."

Ben felt the creature as the boy had done. He lay shivering.

Slowly the great insect turned and made its way from the sailor's neck
to the flooring, then up the side of the boat. Ralph, seizing a rope's
end, struck a furious blow, but missed. With lightning-like speed the
spider ran up the side of the boat, sprang upon the water where it
floated like a feather, and pushed towards shore.

But Ben had seized an oar and now came down with a splash that sent a
shower of spray about and momentarily blinded them both.

"There! Look yonder, Ben!" cried Ralph. "Confound the luck!"

The spider was swiftly crawling up the bank, where it quickly
disappeared beneath a tussock.

"That beats all the creatures I ever seen," said Ben. "He must be the
great grandfather of all the spiders hereabout."

Mr. Duff, also awakened by the noise, now