The Sayers of the Law.

           Thensomethingcoldtouchedmyhand.Istartedviolently,andsawclosetomeadimpinkishthing,lookingmorelikeaflayedchildthananythingelseintheworld.Thecreaturehadexactlythemildbutrepulsivefeaturesofasloth,thesamelowforeheadandslowgestures.

           Asthefirstshockofthechangeoflightpassed,Isawaboutmemoredistinctly.Thelittlesloth-likecreaturewasstandingandstaringatme.Myconductorhadvanished.Theplacewasanarrowpassagebetweenhighwallsoflava,acrackintheknottedrock,andoneithersideinterwovenheapsofsea-mat,palm-fans,andreedsleaningagainsttherockformedroughandimpenetrablydarkdens.Thewindingwayuptheravinebetweenthesewasscarcelythreeyardswide,andwasdisfiguredbylumpsofdecayingfruit-pulpandotherrefuse,whichaccountedforthedisagreeablestenchoftheplace.

           Thelittlepinksloth-creaturewasstillblinkingatmewhenmyApe-manreappearedattheapertureofthenearestofthesedens,andbeckonedmein.Ashedidsoaslouchingmonsterwriggledoutofoneoftheplaces,furtherupthisstrangestreet,andstoodupinfeaturelesssilhouetteagainstthebrightgreenbeyond,staringatme.Ihesitated,havinghalfamindtoboltthewayIhadcome;andthen,determinedtogothroughwiththeadventure,Igrippedmynailedstickaboutthemiddleandcrawledintothelittleevil-smellinglean-toaftermyconductor.