Before him stretched a dense, waving forest of tree-ferns into which he plunged without slackening his speed, for his pursuers were close behind him. As he dodged in and out among the tree-trunks he could hear their halloos growing fainter and fainter, and finally no sound was audible except the rustling of the countless, wind-shaken fern leaves.

Wearied by his exertions, he slackened his pace and, after proceeding about a mile farther, stopped and looked about him. The fern forest was, to the Earth-man, a most strange and impressive sight.

Huge tree-ferns with rough trunks and foliage growing out of the tops like that of palm trees, some of them ever seventy feet in height, towered above the shorter, more bushy varieties which were themselves giants compared to the largest ferns of earthly jungles. Then there were climbing ferns hanging in tangled masses, creeping ferns, and dwarf, low-growing kinds, barely raising their fronds above the thick carpet of moss which everywhere covered the forest floor.

Grandon was puzzled where to go or what to do. Behind him were the cruel slave drivers who would probably inflict horrible tortures and even death itself if they could get their hands on him. Ahead was---he knew not what.

Would the direction he had taken carry him to safety, or into still greater dangers? He was weary, hungry, and thirsty, and had no idea which way to go for water or food. As for marking his course by the sun, this was impossible, first because he knew nothing whatever of the geography of Zarovia, and second because he did not even know whether he was in the northern or southern hemisphere.

He noticed that the ground slanted slightly toward his right, and intuition told him that this might lead to a valley and water. He changed his course accordingly. He hoped also to find some fruits, berries or nuts with which to satisfy his hunger, but he hoped in vain, for there is no such thing in all the forests of Zarovia.

* * * * *

As he trudged wearily forward, sunset was succeeded by twilight, and before he realized it, the black, moonless Zarovian night had spread its impenetrable mantle about him.

Suddenly, from out the darkness behind him, came a peal of horrible, demoniac laughter.

As he wheeled, Grandon unconsciously emitted a peculiar sound, half roar, half growl, and every hair on his body bristled. For the moment he had reverted to the primitive. Reason was unseated and instinct held sway.

Two glowing phosphorescent orbs were slowly advancing as if something were creeping or slinking toward him. Then, without warning, the hideous noise was repeated at his left.

He turned to face another pair of menacing eyes, then leaped for the trunk of the nearest tree-fern and climbed it as rapidly as if he had been used to that sort of thing all his life. As it was, he was barely in time to escape the snapping jaws that yawned beneath him.

Not until he had reached the leaf-crown, fifty feet above the ground, did he pause or look downward. Then he saw, not two, but a dozen pairs of eyes glancing toward him, while peal after peal of the nerve-racking laughter smote his ears.

Time dragged along. What manner of things were these that sought his life, he wondered? Evidently they were unable to climb, or they would have followed him ere this. The fact that they did not leave, even after several more hours had elapsed, made it evident that they expected to get him.

He had been hearing a peculiar crunching sound some time before he located it and guessed the terrible truth.

They were gnawing through the base of the tree-trunk!