large/3090/police_op_0810_librivox_64kb_mp3/policeoperation_07_piper_64kb_33
large/3090/police_op_0810_librivox_64kb_mp3/policeoperation_07_piper_64kb
English
3090
In the few moments between stopping the little car and getting out, the nighthound had been able to close the distance and spring upon him. [Illustration] * * * * * It was characteristic of First Level mentality that Verkan Vall wasted no moments on self reproach or panic. While he was still rolling under his jeep, his mind had been busy with plans to retrieve the situation. IN THE FEW MOMENTS BETWEEN STOPPING THE LITTLE CAR AND GETTING OUT THE NIGHTHOUND HAD BEEN ABLE TO CLOSE THE DISTANCE AND SPRING UPON HIM IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF FIRST LEVEL MENTALITY THAT VERKAN VALL WASTED NO MOMENTS ON SELF REPROACH OR PANIC WHILE HE WAS STILL ROLLING UNDER HIS JEEP HIS MIND HAD BEEN BUSY WITH PLANS TO RETRIEVE THE SITUATION
behind him, and a rush of padded feet. He whirled, snapping on the headlamp with his left hand and thrusting out his rifle pistol-wise in his right. For a split second, he saw the charging animal, its long, lizardlike head split in a toothy grin, its talon-tipped fore-paws extended. He fired, and the bullet went wild. The next instant, the rifle was knocked from his hand. Instinctively, he flung up his left arm to shield his eyes. Claws raked his left arm and shoulder, something struck him heavily along the left side, and his cap-light went out as he dropped and rolled under the jeep, drawing in his legs and fumbling under his coat for the revolver. In that instant, he knew what had gone wrong. His plan had been entirely too much of a success. The nighthound had winded him as he had driven up the old railroad-grade, and had followed. Its best running speed had been just good enough to keep it a hundred or so feet behind the jeep, and the motor-noise had covered the padding of its feet. HEARD A LOW WHINING CRY BEHIND HIM AND A RUSH OF PADDED FEET HE WHIRLED SNAPPING ON THE HEADLAMP WITH HIS LEFT HAND AND THRUSTING OUT HIS RIFLE PISTOL WISE IN HIS RIGHT FOR A SPLIT SECOND HE SAW THE CHARGING ANIMAL ITS LONG LIZARD LIKE HEAD SPLIT IN SOOTHY GRIN ITS TALON TIPPED FORE PAWS EXTENDED HE FIRED AND THE BULLET WENT WILD THE NEXT INSTANT THE RIFLE WAS KNOCKED FROM HIS HAND INSTINCTIVELY HE FLUNG UP HIS LEFT ARM TO SHIELD HIS EYES CLAWS RAKED HIS LEFT ARM AND SHOULDER SOMETHING STRUCK HIM HEAVILY ALONG THE LEFT SIDE AND HIS CAP LIGHT WENT OUT AS HE DROPPED AND ROLLED UNDER THE JEEP DRAWING IN HIS LEGS AND FUMBLING UNDER HIS COAT FOR THE REVOLVER IN THAT INSTANT HE KNEW WHAT HAD GONE WRONG HIS PLAN HAD BEEN ENTIRELY TOO MUCH OF A SUCCESS THE NIGHTHOUND HAD WINDED HIM AS HE HAD DRIVEN UP THE OLD RAILROAD GRADE AND HAD FOLLOWED ITS BEST RUNNING SPEED HAD BEEN JUST GOOD ENOUGH TO KEEP IT A HUNDRED OR SO FEET BEHIND THE JEEP AND THE MOTOR NO NOISE HAD COVERED THE PADDING OF ITS FEET
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