Page 62 (1/1)

Springing lightly froround he swarht drew the craft slightly lower and at the very instant that the man drew hi banth sprang for the stern Gahan leaped to his feet and rushed toward the great beast in the hope of dislodging it before it had succeeded in cla aboard At the sa toward the their leader to the ship's deck Should they reach it in any nu for the altitude control Gahan pulled it wide Simultaneously three banths leaped for the deck The craft rose swiftly Gahan felt the iainst the keel, followed by the soft thuds of the great bodies as they struck the ground beneath His act had not been an instant too soon And now the leader had gained the deck and stood at the stern with glaring eyes and snarling jaws Gahan drew his sword The beast, possibly disconcerted by the novelty of its position, did not charge Instead it crept slowly toward its intended prey The craft was rising and Gahan placed a foot upon the control and stopped the ascent He did not wish to chance rising to soher air current that would bear hi slowly toward the tower, carried thither by the i upon it from astern

Thejowls, the nant expression of the devilish face The creature, finding the deck stable, appeared to be gaining confidence, and then the man leaped suddenly to one side of the deck and the tiny flier heeled as suddenly in response The banth slipped and clutched frantically at the deck Gahan leaped in with his naked sword; the great beast caught itself and reared upon its hind legs to reach forth and seize this presuht to the flesh it craved; and then theto the opposite side of the deck The banth toppled sideways at the sa talon passed close to Gahan's head at the e heart, and as the warrior wrenched his blade from the carcass it slipped silently over the side of the ship

A glance beloed that the vessel was drifting in the direction of the tower to which Gahan had seen the prisoner led In anotherto the control and let the craft drop quickly toward the ground where followed the banths, still hot for their prey To land outside the enclosure spelled certain death, while inside he could see round as in sleep The ship floated now but a few feet above the wall of the enclosure There was nothing for it but to risk all on a bold bid for fortune, or drift helplessly past without hope of returning through the banth-infested valley, frorowls of these fierce Barsoomian lions