Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Apanicspread;thentherewouldensueablind,wildrushingtogetherofthousandsofcrowdedbodies,andafuriousscramblingoverbacks,tillthescuffingthudofinnumerablefeetovertheearthrosetoareverberatingmurmurasofdistantthunder,hereandtherepiercedbythestrange,wildcryoftherabbitindistress.

           Thelineofvehicleswashalted.Togoforwardnowmeanttotrampletherabbitsunderfoot.Thedrivecametoastandstillwhiletheherdenteredthecorral.Thistooktime,fortherabbitswerebynowtoocrowdedtorun.However,likeanopenedsluice-gate,theextendingflanksoftheentranceofthecorralslowlyengulfedtheherd.Themass,packedtightasever,bydegreesdiminished,preciselyasapoolofwaterwhenadamisopened.Thelaststragglerswentinwitharush,andthegatewasdropped.

           “Come,justhavealockinhere,”calledAnnixter.

           Hilma,descendingfromthecarry-allandjoinedbyPresleyandHarran,approachedandlookedoverthehighboardfence.

           “Oh,didyoueverseeanythinglikethat?”sheexclaimed.

           Thecorral,areallylargeenclosure,hadprovedalltoosmallforthenumberofrabbitscollectedbythedrive.Insideitwasaliving,moving,leaping,breathing,twistingmass.Therabbitswerepackedtwo,three,andfourfeetdeep.Theywereinconstantmovement;thosebeneathstrugglingtothetop,thoseontopsinkinganddisappearingbelowtheirfellows.Allwildness,allfearofman,seemedtohaveentirelydisappeared.