fits
which automatically kept them charged, they were as spry as they would
have been on earth. The ground all about them, and in a strip twelve
feet wide where the mammoth had gone, was torn up, and the vegetation
trodden down. Following this trail, they struck back into the woods,
where in places the gloom cast by the thick foliage was so dense that
there was a mere twilight, startling as they went numbers of birds of
grey and sombre plumage, whose necks and heads, and the sounds they
uttered, were so reptilian that the three terrestrials believed they
must also possess poison fangs.

"The most highly developed things we have seen here," said Bearwarden,
"are the flowers and fireflies, most of the birds and amphibians being
simply loathsome."

As they proceeded they found tracks of blood, which were rapidly
attracting swarms of the reptile birds and snakes, which, however, as a
rule, fled at their approach.

"I wonder what can have caused that mammoth to move so fast, and to
have seemed so ill at ease?" said the doctor. "His motive certainly
was not thirst, for he did not approach the water in a direct line,
neither did he drink on reaching it. One would think nothing short of
an earthquake or a land-slide could trouble him."

"There can be no land-slide here," said Ayrault, "for the country is
too flat."

"And after yesterday's eruptions," added Bearwarden, "it would seem as
though the volcanoes could have scarcely enough steam left to make
trouble."

The blood-tracks, continuing to become fresher, showed them they were
nearing the game, when suddenly the trail took a sharp turn to the
right, even returning towards the lake. A little farther it took
another sharp turn, then followed a series of doublings, while still
farther the ground was completely denuded of trees, its torn-up and
trampled condition and the enormous amount of still warm blood showing
how terrific a battle had just taken place.

While they looked about they saw what appeared to be the trunk of a
tree about four feet in diameter and six feet long, with a slight
crook. On coming closer, they recognized in it one of the forefeet of
the mammoth, cut as cleanly as though with a knife from the leg just
above the ankle, and still warm. A little farther they found the huge
trunk cut to slivers, and, just beyond, the body of the unfortunate
beast with three of its feet gone, and the thick hide cut and slashed
like so much paper. It still b