rst; yet I put this
from me at once; for I did wot that such a creature did not be like to
fear in such wise; but was rather set to some horrid cunning of attack,
as I did fear, and was somewhere below me among the holes of the great
rock.

Then I did think sudden that he might be gone upward, so that he should
come down upon my back, and I lookt upward of the mighty rock; but did
see naught; and afterward I stoopt forward a great way beyond the edge,
so that I should perceive whether the man did hide beneath. And, behold!
he was there below me, and crouched under the rock-shelf, ready to his
spring. And in that moment, he made unto me with so mighty a leap as any
tiger should give. And he came half over the edge, and gript the Diskos
by the handle, in an instant.

And surely I had lost that trusted weapon, or been pulled over and cast
into the depth, but that the Diskos did spin, and the Earth-Current did
make live the handle--as was intended--save where the "grip" was set.
And lo! the man gave loose the handle very swift, for it had burned and
shaken the creature sore. And I staggered back, with the effort I had
made to withhold the Diskos; and the brutish man came upward again over
the rock edge, and leapt at me. Yet he gat me not; for I sprang unto my
right, and made a blow with the Diskos, even as I did leap. And the blow
came something short; but yet harmed the Humpt Man with a gash upon the
belly, very sore and horrid among the great brown hairs of the man. And
immediately he sprang after me; but I smote full at the face; so that he
leaped back from the strange roar and blaze of the Diskos, and yet was
harmed; for he gat not right free of the blow; but did be cut very sore
on the mighty and haired arm.

Now, seeing that he was something feared of the weapon, I ran in upon
him, and smote again at the face; yet was the man gone out of my reach
before that the blow did reach; for, truly, he was quick as a panther.
And immediately, he did leap unto the ending of the ledge, where it did
join upon the Rock; and he caught the living Rock between his two hands.
And truly the Rock must have been splitten there; for he tore out a
monstrous lump, so great near as my body; and did run upon me with the
rock above the head of him.

Now, I perceived I should be smashed in a moment, if that I did not slay
the man very quick. For so mighty was he, that he did leap this way and
that way after me, as though the great rock did c