“As the steps came near I peeped carefully out, and what should I see but an ugly South American river-wolf, about three and a half feet long, with a short, close fur of a bright ruddy yellow.  I could not imagine what had brought him after me, but the ways of the wicked are often difficult to explain.  There he was, and if once he could get me within reach I was lost.  On he came, snuffing and barking like a dog, making my very hair stand on end.  I waited for him to pass, but I think his instinct must have told him I had paused, for he began to turn over the shells with his ugly nose, as if searching for something.  My single weapon was a small dirk, as we kill only in self-defence.

“Bracing myself against the wall of my slight shelter, I stood in expectation of an assault, and I had not long to wait.  With an angry cry he rushed upon me.  His size seemed to me enormous, but my little knife was a trusty blade, and with a great effort I drew it across his dreadful throat.

“I will not dwell on these particulars.  I had overcome my enemy.  I resumed my journey, and soon came to a region of the most beautiful water-plants growing in greatest profusion.  I knew by these that I was not far from the home of the Fays.

“I neglected to tell you that before starting out the chief frost-worker had given me a small vial of clear liquid, which, in case of any danger from heat, I was to use for the preservation of the snow-wreath.  In my tussle with the wolf this vial must have become partly uncorked, for I became aware of a strong odor diffusing itself about me, and an overpowering sleepiness getting the better of me.  I had drawn the bottle out, recorked it, and put it away again; but this was no sooner done than I fell in a sleepy swoon on the roadside.

“I have no idea how long I slept:  there is neither day nor night down there, only a dim sort of twilight, which at times becomes illuminated by the phosphorescent rays of fishes, or the fitful gleam of ocean glow-worms.  I was startled from my swoon by a rattling, dragging noise, and came very near being scooped up by an uncouth-looking iron thing which was attached to a cable.  It flashed upon me, stupid as I was, that this must be a deep-sea dredge; and as I was not at all inclined to be hauled up on shipboard, in a lot of mud and shells as a rare specimen of the sea, I got as quickly out of the way as possible.

“But it was now time for me to get on terra firma, as Knops would say, or dry land, as I prefer to put it.  Among the beautiful vermilion leaves or tentacles of the curious half animals and half flowers I observed a vine not unlike the honeysuckle, only of tougher fibre.  On this I clambered up to take a look about me, and discovered that I was much nearer shore than I supposed.  Hardly had I done this when, to my horror, I saw the arms of an octopus stretching towards me, its horid beak projecting from between its ugly eyes.  More alarmed than at any previous danger, I strove to retain my self-command, but the fearful creature was already touching me.  Remembering, with wits sharpened by distress, the effect of the drug in my little bottle, I drew out the cork, and making a sudden lunge, dashed the ether in its face—­if you can so call any part of its disgusting head.