Closerandcloserwecame，oneofusdriftinghelplessly，andtheotherswimmingstronglyfortheislands。Whenwewereaboutafurlongapartthegreatbeastseemedtochangeitscourse，mayhapittookthewreckageonwhichIfloatedforanoutlyingshoal，somethingonwhichitcouldrestaspaceinthatlongswim。Bethisasitmay，thebeastcamehurtlingdownonmelipdeepinthewaves，amightybrownheadwithprickedearsthatflickedthewaterfromthemnowandthen，smallbrighteyessetfarback，andwidepalmatedantlersonamightyforehead，likethedeadbranchesofatree。WhatthatMartianmountainelkhadhopedforcanonlybeguessed，whathemetwithwasatangleoffloatingfinerycarryinganumbedtravelleronit，andwithasnortofdisappointmentheturnedagain。
Itwasapoorchance，butbetterthannothing，andasheturnedItriedtothrowastrandofsilkIhadunwoundfromthesoddenmassoverhisbranchingtines。Quickasthoughtthebeasttwistedhisheadasideandtossedhisantlerssothatthetrywasfruitless。ButwasItolosemyonlychanceofshore？WithallmystrengthIhurledmyselfuponhim，missingmyclutchagainbyahair’s—breadthandgoinghead—
longintothesaltfurrowhischestwasturningup。HappilyIkeptholdoftheweb，forthegreatelkthenturnedback，passingbetweenmeandtheruckofstuffandgettingtherebythesilkunderhischin，andasIcamegaspingtothetoponcemoreroundcamethatdaintywreckageoverhisback，andIclutchedit，andsoonerthanittakestotellIwastowingtotheshoreasperhapsnoonewasevertowedbefore。
Thebigbeastdraggedtherucklikewitheredweedbe—
hindhim，bellowingallthetimewithavoicewhichmadethehillsechoallround；andthen，whenhegothisfeetupontheshallows，rosedrippingandmountainous，averycliffofblackhideandlimbagainstthenightshine，andwithasinglesweepofhisantlerstorethewebbingfromme，wholayproneandbreathlessinthemud，and，thinkingitwashisenemy，hurledthelimpbundleonthebeach，andthen，havingpoundeditwithhisclovenfeetintoformlessshreds，bellowedagainvictoriouslyandwentoffintothedark—