off about our business of finding and rescuing Bowen Tyler; but the

pterodactyl's carcass had scarcely fallen before I was surrounded

by at least a dozen of the hideous things, some large, some small,

but all bent upon my destruction. I could not cope with them all,

and so I rose rapidly from among them to the cooler strata wherein

they dared not follow; and then I recalled that Bowen's narrative

distinctly indicated that the farther north one traveled in Caspak,

the fewer were the terrible reptiles which rendered human life

impossible at the southern end of the island.

There seemed nothing now but to search out a more northerly

landing-place and then return to the _Toreador_ and transport my

companions, two by two, over the cliffs and deposit them at the

rendezvous. As I flew north, the temptation to explore overcame

me. I knew that I could easily cover Caspak and return to the

beach with less petrol than I had in my tanks; and there was the

hope, too, that I might find Bowen or some of his party. The broad

expanse of the inland sea lured me out over its waters, and as I

crossed, I saw at either extremity of the great body of water an

island--one to the south and one to the north; but I did not alter

my course to examine either closely, leaving that to a later time.

The further shore of the sea revealed a much narrower strip of

land between the cliffs and the water than upon the western side;

but it was a hillier and more open country. There were splendid

landing-places, and in the distance, toward the north, I thought

I descried a village; but of that I was not positive. However, as

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