The Argosy, January 1907 — page 24: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

206 believe fast enough,” I retorted. ‘‘ And they will if you don’t watch out.” { spoke the truth, for while we were speaking the myriads ever increased. There seemed no end to the things. They were still issuing from the sea, although the cay was now completely covered, save the spots where our bodies had been. And now I saw with dismay that even those two oases were diminishing in size. The crabs were slowly but relentlessly encroaching on the open spaces. As I stood gazing, I could see the cir- cle about me closing. ‘The advance was gentle, regular, persistent, inevitable. There could be no danger to an active man from the swarming creatures, but there was something uncanny in the swaying swish and/clank of the hosts as they crept ever nearer and nearer. ‘“They don't seem to be a bit afraid of us,” Billy said, wonderingly. I laughed ruefully. “No, it’s rather the other way. I don’t know how you feel, Billy, bat I confess they get on my nerves. They ean’t hurt ws, but they can bother us like the deuce. We can’t sleep with these pests in possession of the island.” “ Nor even sit down,” my brother said. And it was true. The crabs were close about our feet now. Soon the line in front grew thicker as the mass squirmed onward. Certainly one could not sit here. The innumerable swarm would be all over him. It was as Billy said, even to sit was impossible. A swift horror sprang in on me at the thought. How long could we endure standing thus, surrounded by the crowding invaders? And when we could no longer bear up under the fa- tigue of it, we would have to sink down exhausted. I turned from the thought in sheer desperation. ‘To let my imagination run this way was to court madness. The crabs were now creeping over the bag of ‘provisions at Billy’s feet. ‘Kick them away!” I cried. “ They'll. devour our food in a jiffy.” ~ Jove, I should think so! the bag.” Forthwith he thrust back the front ranks with his thick boots, and soon so a small cleared space. I forgot THE ARGOSY. The sight moved me to emulation. The mere contact with the hideous ob- jects was repellant, repulsive even. I kicked away desperately, however, and soon I, too, had eteared a circle a yard in diameter. “Will the cursed things never stop coming?” Billy growled presently. He spoke with good reason, for the rampart made by pushing back the fore- most at once began to move forward, and at the same time grew in height. And still the whole cay beyond was completely covered with the multitude. I wondered how many more of the army remained beneath the waves, si- lently marching forward to throng with | those already on the islet. Surety, thought, there must be an end to them some time. But I could see no sign of it. The mass swayed onward, ceaselessly increas- ing. I grew sick with despair. the horrible might wore on slowly. We talked little. Neither of us wished to voice his gloomy musings. From time to time, we attacked the encroaching crabs with a volley of kicks and thus maintained our reservation intact. My brother, I believe, was as heart- sick as was I. It seemed that the ma- lignity of fate had marked us for its own It was not enough to give us to a linger- ing death on this mote in the ocean; we had also to face an incredible horror; these myriads of evil things were to visit on us a torture as strange as it was frightful. We seemed destined to die in a subtle torment, our bodies given to the waiting scavengers ere yet our souls were out of them. I stood musing thus, when a sharp pain in my knee caused me to look down. I saw with a shudder of fright that during my period of meditation the crabs had thickened about me until they were higher than my boot-tops. One of them had seized me sharply at the knee. Instantly I tore the thing away with my hands, and hurled it into the sea. Then with nervous fury I kicked at the swarming mass until exhausted. The experience gave a ghastly reality to my morbid speculations of the moment before. I was faint with the hateful foretaste of what was to come. EOMMICLOOC (E@