There were squealings behind the pair on the hilltop. Eight of the huge
yellow beasts were out in the open, now. Tiny, furry biped animals
waddled desperately to get out of their way. Smaller creatures scuttled
here and there. A sinuous creature with fur but no apparent legs writhed
its way upward. But all the creatures were frightened. They observed an
absolute truce, under the overmastering greater fear of nature.
Far away, the volcano on the skyline boomed and flashed and emitted
monstrous clouds of smoke. The shining, incandescent lava on its flanks
glared across the glaciers.
Babs gasped suddenly. She realized the situation in which she and
Cochrane had been left.
Shivering, she pressed close to him as the distant black smoke-cloud
spread toward the center of the sky.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Before sunset, they reached the area of ashes where the ship had stood.
Cochrane was sure that if anybody else had been left behind besides
themselves, the landing-place was an inevitable rendezvous. Only three
members of the ship's company had been inside when Babs and Cochrane
left to stroll for the two hours astronomers on Earth had set as a
waiting-period.
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