Затерянный мир
It was Dreadful in the Forest
Theriflesstilllayupontheground,andoneofthem—LordJohn’s—hadtheemptycartridgeinthebreech.TheblanketsofChallengerandofSummerleebesidethefiresuggestedthattheyhadbeenasleepatthetime.Thecasesofammunitionandoffoodwerescatteredaboutinawildlitter,togetherwithourunfortunatecamerasandplate-carriers,butnoneofthemweremissing.Ontheotherhand,alltheexposedprovisions—andIrememberedthattherewereaconsiderablequantityofthem—weregone.Theywereanimals,then,andnotnatives,whohadmadetheinroad,forsurelythelatterwouldhaveleftnothingbehind.
Butifanimals,orsomesingleterribleanimal,thenwhathadbecomeofmycomrades?Aferociousbeastwouldsurelyhavedestroyedthemandlefttheirremains.Itistruethattherewasthatonehideouspoolofblood,whichtoldofviolence.Suchamonsterashadpursuedmeduringthenightcouldhavecarriedawayavictimaseasilyasacatwouldamouse.Inthatcasetheotherswouldhavefollowedinpursuit.Butthentheywouldassuredlyhavetakentheirrifleswiththem.ThemoreItriedtothinkitoutwithmyconfusedandwearybrainthelesscouldIfindanyplausibleexplanation.Isearchedroundintheforest,butcouldseenotrackswhichcouldhelpmetoaconclusion.OnceIlostmyself,anditwasonlybygoodluck,andafteranhourofwandering,thatIfoundthecamponcemore.
Suddenlyathoughtcametomeandbroughtsomelittlecomforttomyheart.
