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In the instant that I arose I had seen the hyaenodon lying asleep beside a boulder a few yards away. So nearly was he the color of the rock that he was scarcely discernible. Evidently the newcomers had not seen him. I had not more than freed myself from one of my antagonists before the other three were upon me.

The battle was short, for scarce had their first wild whoop reverberated through the rocky fiord, and they had closed upon me, than a hairy mass of demoniacal rage hurtled among us. It was the hyaenodon! In an instant he had pulled down one of the men, and with a single shake, terrier-like, had broken his neck. Then he was upon another.

As we came in sight of the warriors the men set up a great jabbering. Their eyes were wide in astonishment only, I presume, because of my strange garmenture, but as well from the fact that I came in company with a jalok, which is the Pellucidarian name of the hyaenodon. Raja tugged at his leash, growling and showing his long white fangs.

A small species, also, of rodent, of the genus Titanomys of H. von Meyer, is common to the Lower Miocene of Mayence and the Limagne d'Auvergne, and there are many other points of agreement which the discordance of nomenclature tends to conceal. A remarkable carnivorous genus, the Hyaenodon of Laizer, is represented by more than one species.

Fortunately a little rivulet trickled down the side of the rocky wall, giving us ample supply of fresh water some of which I kept constantly beside the hyaenodon in a huge, bowl-shaped shell, of which there were count-less numbers among the rubble of the beach.

Behind them, streaming through the pass which leads into the valley, came a swarm of hairy men gorilla-like creatures armed with spears and hatchets, and bearing long, oval shields. Like demons they set upon the ape-things, and before them the hyaenodon, which had now regained its senses and its feet, fled howling with fright.

I believe that if their domestication were not purely the result of an accident, as, for example, my taming of the hyaenodon, it came about through the desire of tribes who had previously domesticated flocks and herds to have some strong, ferocious beast to guard their roaming property. However, I lean rather more strongly to the theory of accident.

I was sitting some little distance away devouring shellfish, of which, by the way, I was becoming exceedingly tired. Presently, the hyaenodon arose and came toward me. I did not move. He stopped in front of me and deliberately raised his bandaged leg and pawed my knee. His act was as intelligible as words he wished the bandage removed.

My first thought was that the hyaenodon had at last attacked me, but as my eyes opened and I struggled to rise, I saw that a man was astride me and three others bending close above him. I am no weakling and never have been. My experience in the hard life of the inner world has turned my thews to steel.

As I wound up for the delivery, I held my nerves and muscles under absolute command, though the grinning jaws were hurtling toward me at terrific speed. And then I let go, with every ounce of my weight and muscle and science in back of that throw. The stone caught the hyaenodon full upon the end of the nose, and sent him bowling over upon his back.