Then I that something moving dimly blackness below the grating, but what it distinguish The whole thing I seemed to hang fire just for moment - then smash ! I had sprung to my feet, struck savagely at something that had flashed out at me It keen point of spear thought since that its length narrowness cleft prevented its being sloped to reach me Anyhow, it shot out grating like the tongue of snake, and missed and flew back and flashed again But the second time I snatched and caught it, and wrenched it away, but not before another had darted ineffectually at me

I shouted with triumph as the hold Selenite resist my pull for moment and give, and then jabbing down bars, amidst squeals darkness, and Cavor had snapped off the other spear, and was leaping and flourishing it beside me, and making inefficient jabs Clang, clang, came up grating, and then an axe hurtled air and whacked against the rocks beyond, to remind me fleshers carcasses up the cavern

I turned, were all coming towards us in open order waving their axes They were short, thick, little beggars, with long arms, strikingly different ones we had seen before heard of us before, realised the situation with incredible swiftness I stared at them for moment, spear in hand "Guard that grating, Cavor," I cried, howled to intimidate them, and rushed to meet them Two missed with their hatchets, rest fled incontinently Then the two also were sprinting away up the cavern, with hands clenched and heads down I never saw men run like them !

the spear I had was no good thin and flimsy, only effectual for thrust, and too long for quick recover So I only chased the Selenites as far first carcass, and stopped there and picked up crowbars that were lying about It felt comfortingly heavy, and equal to smashing any number of Selenites I threw away my spear, and picked up second crowbar other hand five times better than I had spear I shook the two threateningly Selenites, who had come to halt in little crowd far away up the cavern, and then turned about to look at Cavor

leaping from side to side grating, making threatening jabs broken spear That was all right It would keep the Selenites down - for time at any rate I looked up the cavern again What on earth were we going now ?

We were cornered in sort of way already But these butchers up the cavern surprised, they were probably scared, had no special weapons, only those little hatchets of theirs way lay escape Their sturdy little forms - ever shorter and thicker mooncalf herds - were scattered up the slope in way that was eloquent of indecision I had the moral advantage of mad bull in street But for all that, there seemed tremendous crowd Very probably Those Selenites down the cleft had certainly some infernally long spears It they had other surprises . . But, confound it ! charged up the cave let them up behind us, and didn't those little brutes up the cave would probably get reinforced Heaven alone knew what tremendous engines of warfare - guns, bombs, terrestrial torpedoes - this unknown world below our feet, this vaster world we had only pricked the outer cuticle, presently send our destruction It became clear was ! It became clearer legs of number of fresh Selenites appeared running down the cavern towards us

"Bedford ! " cried Cavor, and behold ! halfway between me grating

"Go back ! " I cried " you doing -"

"They've got - it's like gun ! "

And struggling grating between those defensive spears appeared the head and shoulders of singularly lean and angular Selenite, bearing some complicated apparatus

I realised Cavor's utter incapacity fight we had in hand For moment I hesitated Then I rushed past him whirling my crowbars, and shouting to confound the aim Selenite aiming queerest way thing against his stomach "Chuzz ! " The thing wasn't gun; it went off like cross-bow more, and dropped me middle of leap

I didn't fall down, I simply came down little shorter than done if I hadn't been hit, and feel shoulder the thing tapped me and glanced off Then my hit again the shaft, and I perceived sort of spear sticking half through my shoulder The moment after I got home crowbar in my right hand, and hit the Selenite fair and square He collapsed - he crushed and crumpled - his head smashed like an egg

I dropped crowbar, pulled the spear out shoulder, and began to jab it down the grating darkness At each jab came shriek and twitter Finally I hurled the spear down upon them with all my strength, leapt up, picked up the crowbar again, and started multitude up the cavern

"Bedford ! " cried Cavor "Bedford ! " as I flew past him

I seem to remember his footsteps coming on behind me

Step, leap . whack, step, leap . . Each leap seemed to last ages With each, the cave opened out number of Selenites visible increased At first they seemed all running about like ants in disturbed ant-hill, waving hatchets and coming to meet me, more running away, some bolting sideways avenue of carcasses, then presently others came in sight carrying spears, and then others most extraordinary thing, all hands and feet, bolting for cover The cavern grew darker farther up

Flick ! something flew over my head Flick ! As I soared in mid-stride spear hit and quiver in carcasses to my left Then, as down, one hit the ground before me, and I heard the remote chuzz ! their things were fired Flick, flick ! for moment shower They were volleying !

I stopped dead

I don't think clearly then I seem to remember kind of stereotyped phrase running through my mind: "Zone of fire, seek cover ! " dash space between two ~ the carcasses, and stood there panting and feeling very wicked

I looked round for Cavor, and for moment it seemed he had vanished world Then darkness row carcasses rocky wall cavern his little face, dark and blue, and shining with perspiration and emotion

saying something, but what heed I had realised that work from mooncalf to mooncalf up the cave until we were near enough home charge or nothing "Come on ! " , and led the way

"Bedford ! " he cried unavailingly

My mind was busy went up that narrow alley dead bodies wall cavern The rocks curved about - enfilade us Though narrow space leap, yet earth-born strength we were still able faster Selenites I reckoned presently come right among them Once we were on them, nearly as formidable as black beetles Only - there would first of all be volley of stratagem I whipped off my flannel jacket as I ran

"Bedford ! " panted Cavor behind me

I glanced back "What ? " said I

pointing upward over the carcasses "White light ! " "White light again ! "

I looked, and even so, faint white ghost of light remoter cavern roof That seemed double strength

"Keep close," flat, long Selenite dashed darkness, and squealed and fled I halted, and stopped Cavor with my hand I hung my jacket over my crowbar, ducked round the next carcass, dropped jacket and crowbar, showed myself, and darted back

"Chuzz-flick," just one arrow came We were close Selenites, were standing in crowd, broad, short, and tall together, with little battery shooting implements pointing down the cave Three or four other arrows followed the first, then their fire ceased

I stuck out my head, and escaped by hair's-breadth I drew dozen shots or more, and heard the Selenites shouting and twittering with excitement shot I picked up jacket and crowbar again

"Now ! " said I, and thrust out the jacket