Page:Young Hunters in Porto Rico.djvu/174

170 Danny was the last to bend down to get his nil. He had not yet finished when he started back and gave a yell.

"Wot's dat t'ing?"

"What thing?" they asked in chorus.

"Don't yer see it—agin de wall. It's comin' dis way!" and the Irish boy started to retreat.

All looked in the direction he pointed out and saw something like an enormous crab coming toward them. It was hissing viciously and was as repulsive a creature as they had yet beheld.

Bang! it was the report of Don's pistol, and the thing was pierced through the body and killed instantly.

"A good shot—" began Leander, when Dick and old Jacob both gave a cry of alarm.

"Look out, the roof is coming down! Run for your lives!"

Crash! Boom! Down came some of the loose rock behind them, and by instinct more than reason, they leaped across the underground watercourse, Don falling in, but quickly picking himself out again. They had scarcely advanced to a safe distance when there came another cracking and a dull rumble, and the entire passageway at the spot where they had stood but a minute before was choked up!

For the time being, all were too dazed and bewildered to do more than gaze in open-mouthed