How the Beast Folk Taste Blood.

           Myinexperienceasawriterbetraysme,andIwanderfromthethreadofmystory.

           AfterIhadbreakfastedwithMontgomery,hetookmeacrosstheislandtoseethefumaroleandthesourceofthehotspringintowhosescaldingwatersIhadblunderedonthepreviousday.Bothofuscarriedwhipsandloadedrevolvers.Whilegoingthroughaleafyjungleonourroadthither,weheardarabbitsquealing.Westoppedandlistened,butweheardnomore;andpresentlywewentonourway,andtheincidentdroppedoutofourminds.Montgomerycalledmyattentiontocertainlittlepinkanimalswithlonghind-legs,thatwentleapingthroughtheundergrowth.HetoldmetheywerecreaturesmadeoftheoffspringoftheBeastPeople,thatMoreauhadinvented.Hehadfanciedtheymightserveformeat,butarabbit-likehabitofdevouringtheiryounghaddefeatedthisintention.Ihadalreadyencounteredsomeofthesecreatures,—onceduringmymoonlightflightfromtheLeopard-man,andonceduringmypursuitbyMoreauonthepreviousday.Bychance,onehoppingtoavoidusleaptintotheholecausedbytheuprootingofawind-blowntree;beforeitcouldextricateitselfwemanagedtocatchit.Itspatlikeacat,scratchedandkickedvigorouslywithitshind-legs,andmadeanattempttobite;butitsteethweretoofeebletoinflictmorethanapainlesspinch.