ltaneous, with a less thunderous explosion
than on Earth, but singing in a higher key and flaming vastly more,
startled and terrified the Martians. Then crack! crack! bang! bang! four
other shots in swift succession, followed by the terrific croaking of
the wounded Terror-bird, which fell ponderously forward, kicking
violently and beating the ground wildly with its head.

Seizing my broadsword in a flash, I dealt it such a blow upon the neck
as quite to sever the head from the body. There was a gush of red blood;
and those who have seen the antics of a decapitated chicken, may
correspondingly multiply the corpse and imagine the confusion that now
ensued.

"Stand ready for the second bird!" I shouted to the doctor; but on
looking, I saw that the other animal refused to be urged forward, after
seeing the fate of his companion. His rider was half-hearted in his
efforts, and was watching the forward rider, who had been severely
thrown with the bird's fall, and badly bruised by the kicking and
threshing. He seemed to realize that he was in our power, and was
thoroughly desperate. With a wailing cry he rushed at me with open arms,
as if to embrace death, for I still held the sword. Dropping the weapon,
I grappled with him, catching him about the wrists, which shrank under
my grasp. He seemed to have scarcely the strength of a child; and
everywhere I touched him, his flesh yielded like the flabby muscles of a
fat baby. I bent him over backwards, then swung him around and caught
him by the shoulders, and whirled him around my head. Finally, I tossed
him over the edge of the cliff, where he landed among some bushes, and
scrambled down as fast as he could, glad to have saved his life. The
other rider had turned his bird back toward the cataract with all
possible despatch.

"The whole army below us is now thoroughly demoralized!" said the
jubilant doctor. "Many of them fled dismayed on hearing the firing, and
others screamed and ran away when they saw you decapitate the bird. But
your wrestling with the rider, and flinging him about like an infant,
was an object lesson none of them could stay to see repeated. I saw one
trembling fool slink back to cut the thong of the catapult, so that we
could not use it on them. They have wholly abandoned the attack!"

"If this is the worst they can do, I will undertake to make myself king,
and you prime minister here, within twenty-four hours!" I ejaculated,
decidedly pleased with the idea.