ropped upon him. He felt his head instantly
caged by six steel-like legs which gripped like jaws, their spines
sinking deep into the flesh of neck and cheek. He reached up his left
hand, caught his dreadful assailant just where the head and thorax
join, and strove to throttle it. This was impossible, by reason of the
insect's armor, but he succeeded in holding off those horrid jaws from
his face as he dashed for the circle. Another monster swooped and
struck its spines into his back, and bit a great mouthful out of his
shoulder. But he gained the fires, and, holding his breath, sprang
right through the fiercest flame. The wings of his assailants
shrivelled instantly, and the flame, drawn into the mouth of their
breathing tubes, sealed them up. Grom tore them off, and slammed the
writhing, wingless bodies into the fire.

Inside the circle, now that the fires were burning high, it was
possible to defend oneself effectually, as the bulk of the assailants
seemed to realize that the flames were fatal to their frail wings. But
there were enough so headlong in their ferocity that both Grom and Mo
were kept busy beating them off with spears, while A-ya fed the fires;
and the ground inside the circle was littered with the radiant bodies
of the dying insects, which, even in dying, bit like bull-dogs if foot
or leg came within reach. Grom noticed that their supply of fuel was
all but gone, and his heart sank. He measured with his eyes the
distance to the nearest thickets that looked dense enough for a
shelter.

"We'll have to run for those bushes," he said presently. "They can't
fly in where the branches are thick. It breaks their wings."

"Good," said young Mo. But A-ya, whose shapely shoulders and thighs
were already covered with hideous wounds, trembled at the prospect.

At that moment, however an amazing change came over the scene. A black
thunder-cloud passed across the face of the sun. The moment the
sunshine vanished the destroyers seemed to forget their fury. All the
life and energy went out of them. They simply flocked to the nearest
trees and hung themselves up, gigantic, jewelled blooms, upon the
branches. In less than a minute every dreadful wing was stilled.

"Now is our time. Come!" commanded Grom, leading the way out of the
circle.

"Let's stop and kill them all!" pleaded young Mo, his eyes red with
rage.

But Grom pointed to the cloud. "It will pass quickly," said he. "We
must be far from here before the s