"Yes. If we stay here, we may find more of that acid sprayed on the
water, in which case the ship will sink."

The crew began preparations to carry out the orders. The Idaho was done,
finished, ended.

High overhead the single watchful plane still circled.

Higgins shook his fist at it. "Damn you--" he said. "Damn you--"

The Idaho was carefully brought into the mouth of the river until she
touched bottom. Fortunately the bottom was sandy mud. The ship sighed
and settled herself into it like a tired sea monster coming out of the
ocean to die. Everyone on board her knew that this was the ship's last
resting place. Her steel bones would remain here until they rusted away.
As the ship's keel grated on the bottom, Captain Higgins looked like a
man who is hearing his own death sentence but his back was stiff as a
ramrod and his chin was high.

CHAPTER V

The Ogrum

"Exploring parties ashore," Captain Higgins ordered.

"With your permission," Craig said, "I should like to be a member of one
of those parties."

"Certainly," the captain said. "I'll do even better than that--I'll put
you in charge of one of them."

"Thank you, sir," Craig said. In accordance with the best naval
tradition, he kept his voice emotionless, but his heart leaped at the
thought. He was going to lead a squad of blue-jackets ashore!

He was assembling his group when Michaelson, wildly excited, came
dashing up. "I understand you are taking a squad ashore!" the scientist
excitedly panted.

"That's right," Craig answered.

"I want to go along."

"You want to go along?" Craig glanced toward the nearby shore. Above
the swamps bordering the river one of the lizard-birds was flapping. It
was carrying in its taloned claws something that looked like a small
monkey. Now and then coughing grunts came from the swamp, evidence of
the beasts lurking there. "You want to go into _that_?" Craig
questioned.

"Certainly," the scientist vigorously answered. "This is the opportunity
of a life-time. We shall have a perfect chance to observe the flora and
fauna of this time. We shall see them alive. No other scientist ever had
a chance like this."

"You mean you will have a fine chance to be gobbled up," Craig said
grimly, nodding toward the shore. "That's jungle country."

"You are taking these men into it," Michaelson protested.

"They volunteered," Craig answered.

"So do I volunteer," Michaelson said.

"All right," Craig said, grinnin