Загублений світ
Those Were the Real Conquests
Facedbyferociouscreatureswhichtheyhadneverbeforeseen,theytookrefugeinthecaveswhichouryoungfriendhasdescribed,buttheyhavenodoubthadabitterfighttoholdtheirownagainstwildbeasts,andespeciallyagainsttheape-menwhowouldregardthemasintruders,andwageamercilesswaruponthemwithacunningwhichthelargerbeastswouldlack.Hencethefactthattheirnumbersappeartobelimited.Well,gentlemen,haveIreadyoutheriddlearight,oristhereanypointwhichyouwouldquery?"
ProfessorSummerleeforoncewastoodepressedtoargue,thoughheshookhisheadviolentlyasatokenofgeneraldisagreement.LordJohnmerelyscratchedhisscantylockswiththeremarkthathecouldn’tputupafightashewasn’tinthesameweightorclass.FormyownpartIperformedmyusualroleofbringingthingsdowntoastrictlyprosaicandpracticallevelbytheremarkthatoneoftheIndianswasmissing.
"Hehasgonetofetchsomewater,"saidLordRoxton."Wefittedhimupwithanemptybeeftinandheisoff."
"Totheoldcamp?"Iasked.
"No,tothebrook.It’samongthetreesthere.Itcan’tbemorethanacoupleofhundredyards.Butthebeggariscertainlytakinghistime."
"I’llgoandlookafterhim,"saidI.Ipickedupmyrifleandstrolledinthedirectionofthebrook,leavingmyfriendstolayoutthescantybreakfast.
