We had now reached the banks of a lake, and Taee here paused to point out to me the ravages made in fields skirting it.  “The enemy certainly lies within these waters,” said Taee.  “Observe what shoals of fish are crowded together at the margin.  Even the great fishes with the small ones, who are their habitual prey and who generally shun them, all forget their instincts in the presence of a common destroyer.  This reptile certainly must belong to the class of Krek-a, which are more devouring than any other, and are said to be among the few surviving species of the world’s dreadest inhabitants before the Ana were created.  The appetite of a Krek is insatiable—­it feeds alike upon vegetable and animal life; but for the swift-footed creatures of the elk species it is too slow in its movements.  Its favourite dainty is an An when it can catch him unawares; and hence the Ana destroy it relentlessly whenever it enters their dominion.  I have heard that when our forefathers first cleared this country, these monsters, and others like them, abounded, and, vril being then undiscovered, many of our race were devoured.  It was impossible to exterminate them wholly till that discovery which constitutes the power and sustains the civilisation of our race.  But after the uses of vril became familiar to us, all creatures inimical to us were soon annihilated.  Still, once a-year or so, one of these enormous creatures wanders from the unreclaimed and savage districts beyond, and within my memory one has seized upon a young Gy who was bathing in this very lake.  Had she been on land and armed with her staff, it would not have dared even to show itself; for, like all savage creatures, the reptile has a marvellous instinct, which warns it against the bearer of the vril wand.  How they teach their young to avoid him, though seen for the first time, is one of those mysteries which you may ask Zee to explain, for I cannot.  The reptile in this instinct does but resemble our wild birds and animals, which will not come in reach of a man armed with a gun.  When the electric wires were first put up, partridges struck against them in their flight, and fell down wounded.  No younger generations of partridges meet with a similar accident.  So long as I stand here, the monster will not stir from its lurking-place; but we must now decoy it forth.”

“Will that not be difficult?”

“Not at all.  Seat yourself yonder on that crag (about one hundred yards from the bank), while I retire to a distance.  In a short time the reptile will catch sight or scent of you, and perceiving that you are no vril-bearer, will come forth to devour you.  As soon as it is fairly out of the water, it becomes my prey.”

“Do you mean to tell me that I am to be the decoy to that horrible monster which could engulf me within its jaws in a second!  I beg to decline.”

The child laughed.  “Fear nothing,” said he; “only sit still.”