The misfortune now was no longer amusing, for the beast
was already too close to us for comfort. Seizing Perry
by the shoulder I dragged him to his feet, and rushing
to a smaller tree--one that he could easily encircle with
his arms and legs--I boosted him as far up as I could,
and then left him to his fate, for a glance over my
shoulder revealed the awful beast almost upon me.
It was the great size of the thing alone that saved me.
Its enormous bulk rendered it too slow upon its feet
to cope with the agility of my young muscles, and so I was
enabled to dodge out of its way and run completely behind
it before its slow wits could direct it in pursuit.
The few seconds of grace that this gave me found me
safely lodged in the branches of a tree a few paces
from that in which Perry had at last found a haven.
Did I say safely lodged? At the time I thought we were
quite safe, and so did Perry. He was praying--raising
his voice in thanksgiving at our deliverance--and had
just completed a sort of paeon of gratitude that the thing
couldn't climb a tree when without warning it reared up
beneath him on its enormous tail and hind feet, and reached
those fearfully armed paws quite to the branch upon
which he crouched.
The accompanying roar was all but drowned in Perry's
scream of fright, and he came near tumbling headlong
into the gaping jaws beneath him, so precipitate was
his impetuous haste to vacate the dangerous limb.
It was with a deep sigh of relief that I saw him gain
a higher branch in safety.
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