ith wings half spread they hovered about him in menacing attitudes,
barring his way to the ladder leading to the roof from whence he had
descended; but the Englishman was not one to brook interference for
long. He attempted at first to push his way past them, and then when
one seized his arm and jerked him roughly back, Bradley swung upon the
creature and with a heavy blow to the jaw felled it.

Instantly pandemonium reigned. Loud wails arose, great wings opened
and closed with a loud, beating noise and many clawlike hands reached
forth to clutch him. Bradley struck to right and left. He dared not
use his pistol for fear that once they discovered its power he would be
overcome by weight of numbers and relieved of possession of what he
considered his trump card, to be reserved until the last moment that it
might be used to aid in his escape, for already the Englishman was
planning, though almost hopelessly, such an attempt.

A few blows convinced Bradley that the Wieroos were arrant cowards and
that they bore no weapons, for after two or three had fallen beneath
his fists the others formed a circle about him, but at a safe distance
and contented themselves with threatening and blustering, while those
whom he had felled lay upon the pavement without trying to arise, the
while they moaned and wailed in lugubrious chorus.

Again Bradley strode toward the ladder, and this time the circle parted
before him; but no sooner had he ascended a few rungs than he was
seized by one foot and an effort made to drag him down. With a quick
backward glance the Englishman, clinging firmly to the ladder with both
hands, drew up his free foot and with all the strength of a powerful
leg, planted a heavy shoe squarely in the flat face of the Wieroo that
held him. Shrieking horribly, the creature clapped both hands to its
face and sank to the ground while Bradley clambered quickly the
remaining distance to the roof, though no sooner did he reach the top
of the ladder than a great flapping of wings beneath him warned him
that the Wieroos were rising after him. A moment later they swarmed
about his head as he ran for the apartment in which he had spent the
early hours of the morning after his arrival.

It was but a short distance from the top of the ladder to the doorway,
and Bradley had almost reached his goal when the door flew open and
Fosh-bal-soj stepped out. Immediately the pursuing Wieroos demanded
punishment of the jaal-lu who