and so we came safely out of the valley; though there
seemed to follow us a little lower down the slope an uncanny slithering.

Now so soon as we reached the camp, the bo'sun ordered four fires to be
lit--one on each side of the tent, and this we did, lighting them at the
embers of our old fire, which we had most foolishly allowed to die down.
When the fires had been got going, we put on the boiler, and treated the
great crab as I have already mentioned, and so fell-to upon a very hearty
supper; but, as we ate, each man had his weapon stuck in the sand beside
him; for we had knowledge that the valley held some devilish thing, or
maybe many; though the knowing did not spoil our appetites.

And so, presently, we came to an end of eating, whereat each man pulled
out his pipe, intending to smoke; but the bo'sun told one of the men to
get him upon his feet and keep watch, else might we be in danger of
surprise, with every man lolling upon the sand; and this seemed to me
very good sense; for it was easy to see that the men, too readily, deemed
themselves secure, by reason of the brightness of the fires about them.

Now, whilst the men were taking their ease within the circle of the
fires, the bo'sun lit one of the dips which we had out of the ship in the
creek, and went in to see how Job was, after the day's rest. At that, I
rose up, reproaching myself for having forgotten the poor lad, and
followed the bo'sun into the tent. Yet, I had but reached the opening,
when he gave out a loud cry, and held the candle low down to the sand. At
that, I saw the reason for his agitation, for, in the place where we had
left Job, there was nothing. I stepped into the tent, and, in the same
instant, there came to my nostrils the faint odor of the horrible stench
which had come to me in the valley, and before then from the thing that
came to the side of the boat. And, suddenly, I knew that Job had fallen
prey of those foul things, and, knowing this, I called out to the bo'sun
that _they_ had taken the boy, and then my eyes caught the smear of slime
upon the sand, and I had proof that I was not mistaken.

Now, so soon as the bo'sun knew all that was in my mind; though indeed it
did but corroborate that which had come to his own, he came swiftly out
from the tent, bidding the men to stand back; for they had come all about
the entrance, being very much discomposed at that which the bo'sun had
discovered. Then the bo'sun took from a bundle of the