“What is it?” asked Jack.

“It looks like a bear,” replied the hunter, “but I never saw one like it before.”

Nor had any of the others, for the creature was a terrible one.  It had the body of a bear, but the feet and legs were those of an alligator, while the tail trailed out behind like a snake, and the head had a long snout, not unlike the trunk of an elephant.  The creature was about ten feet long and five feet in height.

“Let me try a shot at it!” exclaimed Andy.  “That is something worth shooting,” and he cocked his rifle.

“Don’t!” exclaimed the professor shortly.  “You might only wound it, and it would pursue us.  We are not ready to fight such creatures as that, and you are the only one armed.”

“I never missed anything I aimed at yet,” said Andy, a little hurt that any one should doubt his ability to kill at the first shot.

“Perhaps not, but how do you know but what this creature has a bullet proof armor under its hide.  This is a strange world, Andy.  It is better to take no chances.”

“I hate to see him get away,” the hunter said.

But, as it happened, the beast was not to get away.  As they watched they saw the horrible animal approach the mound from which the water spurted.  Up the sides it climbed.

“I guess he’s going to get a drink,” said Mark.

That was evidently the beast’s intention.  It went close to the spouting column of water, and thrust its head out so that its tongue could lap from the side.  It seemed to have been in the habit of doing this.

For once, and for the last time, however, it made a mistake.  The water seemed to veer to one side.  In its eagerness to get a drink the animal took another step forward.  At that moment the direction of the column changed again, and it tilted over toward the beast.

Suddenly, as the travelers watched, the full force of the big column caught the beast just under the fore shoulders.  Up into the air the creature shot, propelled by thousands of pounds pressure.  Right up to the top of the column it went, and this time the water rose a thousand feet into the air.

Up and up went the animal, struggling to get away from the remorseless grip.  Then, when the water had reached its height, it shot the beast off to one side.  Then the brute began to fall, twisting, turning, wiggling and struggling.  Down it came with a thud that could be heard above the noise of the geyser.

“I reckon that finishes him,” observed Andy.  And it had, for there was not a sign of life from the creature.

“I guess we have seen enough for one morning,” the professor said, “Let’s go back to the airship.  It must be nearly dinner time.”

They started away.  Mark gave a last look at the queer column of water and the dead body of the strange animal.  As he passed down the hill he thought he saw the creature move, and stayed to see if this was so.  But a second glance convinced him he was mistaken.