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Chapter 11 — The Mooncalf Pastures
Hewasquitesimilarinhiscostumetotheformeronewehadglimpsed,exceptthatendsofsomethinglikewaddingwereprotrudingfromhisneck,andhestoodonapromontoryofrockandmovedhisheadthiswayandthat,asthoughhewassurveyingthecrater.Welayquitestill,fearingtoattracthisattentionifwemoved,andafteratimeheturnedaboutanddisappeared.
Wecameuponanotherdroveofmooncalvesbellowinguparavine,andthenwepassedoveraplaceofsounds,soundsofbeatingmachineryasifsomehugehallofindustrycamenearthesurfacethere.Andwhilethesesoundswerestillaboutuswecametotheedgeofagreatopenspace,perhapstwohundredyardsindiameter,andperfectlylevel.Saveforafewlichensthatadvancedfromitsmarginthisspacewasbare,andpresentedapowderysurfaceofadustyyellowcolour.Wewereafraidtostrikeoutacrossthisspace,butasitpresentedlessobstructiontoourcrawlingthanthescrub,wewentdownuponitandbeganverycircumspectlytoskirtitsedge.
Foralittlewhilethenoisesfrombelowceasedandeverything,saveforthefaintstirofthegrowingvegetation,wasverystill.Thenabruptlytherebegananuproar,louder,morevehement,andnearerthananywehadsofarheard.Ofacertaintyitcamefrombelow.Instinctivelywecrouchedasflataswecould,readyforapromptplungeintothethicketbesideus.Eachknockandthrobseemedtovibratethroughourbodies.Loudergrewthisthrobbingandbeating,andthatirregularvibrationincreaseduntilthewholemoonworldseemedtobejerkingandpulsing.
