Спрут: Каліфорнійська історія
Chapter VI
Theoutsidewingsofthecurvedlineofvehiclesbegantodrawinalittle;Osterman’sranchwasleftbehind,thedrivecontinuedonoverQuienSabe.
Asthedayadvanced,therabbits,singularlyenough,becamelesswild.Whenflushed,theynolongerransofarnorsofast,limpingoffinsteadafewfeetatatime,andcrouchingdown,theirearscloseupontheirbacks.Thusitwas,thatbydegreestheteamsbegantocloseuponthemainherd.Ateveryinstantthenumbersincreased.Itwasnolongerthousands,itwastensofthousands.Theearthwasalivewithrabbits.
Denseranddensergrewthethrong.Inalldirectionsnothingwastobeseenbuttheloosemassofthemovingjacks.Thehornsofthecrescentofteamsbegantocontract.Faroffthecorralcameintosight.Thedisintegratedmassofrabbitscommenced,asitwere,tosolidify,tocoagulate.Atfirst,eachjackwassomethreefeetdistantfromhisnearestneighbor,butthisspacediminishedtotwofeet,thentoone,thentobutafewinches.Therabbitsbeganleapingoveroneanother.
Thenthestrangescenedefineditself.Itwasnolongeraherdcoveringtheearth.Itwasasea,whippedintoconfusion,tossingincessantly,leaping,falling,agitatedbyunseenforces.Attimestheunexpectedtamenessoftherabbitsallatoncevanished.Throughoutcertainportionsoftheherdeddiesofterrorabruptlyburstforth.
