Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Theoutsidewingsofthecurvedlineofvehiclesbegantodrawinalittle;Osterman’sranchwasleftbehind,thedrivecontinuedonoverQuienSabe.

           Asthedayadvanced,therabbits,singularlyenough,becamelesswild.Whenflushed,theynolongerransofarnorsofast,limpingoffinsteadafewfeetatatime,andcrouchingdown,theirearscloseupontheirbacks.Thusitwas,thatbydegreestheteamsbegantocloseuponthemainherd.Ateveryinstantthenumbersincreased.Itwasnolongerthousands,itwastensofthousands.Theearthwasalivewithrabbits.

           Denseranddensergrewthethrong.Inalldirectionsnothingwastobeseenbuttheloosemassofthemovingjacks.Thehornsofthecrescentofteamsbegantocontract.Faroffthecorralcameintosight.Thedisintegratedmassofrabbitscommenced,asitwere,tosolidify,tocoagulate.Atfirst,eachjackwassomethreefeetdistantfromhisnearestneighbor,butthisspacediminishedtotwofeet,thentoone,thentobutafewinches.Therabbitsbeganleapingoveroneanother.

           Thenthestrangescenedefineditself.Itwasnolongeraherdcoveringtheearth.Itwasasea,whippedintoconfusion,tossingincessantly,leaping,falling,agitatedbyunseenforces.Attimestheunexpectedtamenessoftherabbitsallatoncevanished.Throughoutcertainportionsoftheherdeddiesofterrorabruptlyburstforth.