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Chapter 17 — The Fight in the Cave of the Moon Butchers
Itmightbetheyhadothersurprisesforus....But,confoundit!ifwechargedupthecaveweshouldletthemupbehindus,andifwedidn’tthoselittlebrutesupthecavewouldprobablygetreinforced.Heavenaloneknewwhattremendousenginesofwarfare—guns,bombs,terrestrialtorpedoes—thisunknownworldbelowourfeet,thisvasterworldofwhichwehadonlyprickedtheoutercuticle,mightnotpresentlysenduptoourdestruction.Itbecamecleartheonlythingtodowastocharge!ItbecameclearerasthelegsofanumberoffreshSelenitesappearedrunningdownthecaverntowardsus.
“Bedford!”criedCavor,andbehold!hewashalfwaybetweenmeandthegrating.
“Goback!”Icried.“Whatareyoudoing—”
“They’vegot—it’slikeagun!”
AndstrugglinginthegratingbetweenthosedefensivespearsappearedtheheadandshouldersofasingularlyleanandangularSelenite,bearingsomecomplicatedapparatus.
IrealisedCavor’sutterincapacityforthefightwehadinhand.ForamomentIhesitated.ThenIrushedpasthimwhirlingmycrowbars,andshoutingtoconfoundtheaimoftheSelenite.Hewasaiminginthequeerestwaywiththethingagainsthisstomach.“Chuzz!”Thethingwasn’tagun;itwentofflikeacross-bowmore,anddroppedmeinthemiddleofaleap.
Ididn’tfalldown,IsimplycamedownalittleshorterthanIshouldhavedoneifIhadn’tbeenhit,andfromthefeelofmyshoulderthethingmighthavetappedmeandglancedoff.Thenmylefthandhitagainsttheshaft,andIperceivedtherewasasortofspearstickinghalfthroughmyshoulder.
