Withoutawaitingafullreturnoflight,thetravellersproceededontheirway,andhadgonesomethingoverahundredyardswhenAyrault,whowasmarchingsecond,suddenlygraspedBearwarden,whowasinfront,andpointedtoajet—blackmassstraightahead,andaboutthirtyyardsfromapoolofwarmwater,fromwhichacloudofvapourarose。Thetopoftheheadwasaboutsevenfeethigh,andthelengthofthebodyexceededthirtyfeet。Thesixlegslookedasstrongassteelcables,andwereaboutafootthrough,whileahuge,bonyproboscisninefeetinlengthprecededthebody。Thiswascarriedhorizontallybetweentwoandthreefeetfromtheground。Presentlyalargegroundslothcametothepooltodrink,lappingupthewateratthesidesthathadpartlycooled。Inaninstanttheblackarmoredmonsterrusheddowntheslopewiththespeedofanineteenth—centurylocomotive,andseemedaboutasformidable。Theslothturnedinthedirectionofthesound,andforamomentseemedparalyzedwithfear;itthenstartedtorun,butitwastoolate,forthenextsecondtheenormouslyexaggeratedant——forsuchitwas——overtookit。Thehugemandibleshearsthatwhenclosedhadformedtheproboscis,snappedviciously,takingoffthesloth\'slegsandthencuttingitsbodytoslivers。Theexecutionwasfinishedinafewseconds,andtheponderousinsectcarriedbackabouthalftheslothtoitshiding—place,whereitleisurelydevouredit。
\"Thisremindsme,\"saidBearwarden,\"oftheoldladywhonevercompletedherpreparationsforturninginwithoutsearchingforburglarsunderthebed。Finallyshefoundone,andexclaimedindelight,\'I\'vebeenlookingforyoufiftyyears,andatlastyouarehere！\'Thequestionis,nowthatwehavefoundourburglar,whatshallwedowithhim？\"
\"Iconstantlyregretnothavingarifle,\"repliedCortlandt,\"thoughitisdoubtfulifeventhatwouldhelpushere。\"
\"Letussitdownandwait,\"saidAyrault;\"theremaybeanopeningsoon。\"
Anonawoollyrhinoceros,resemblingtheRhinocerostichorhinusthatexistedcontemporaneouslyonearthwiththemammoth,cametodrinkthewaterthathadpartlycooled。Itwasitselfaformidable—lookingbeast,butinaninstantthemonsteragainrushedfromconcealmentwiththesametremendousspeed。Therhinocerosturnedinthedirectionofthesound,and,loweringitshead,facedthefoe。Theant\'sshears,however,passedbeneaththehorn,and,fasteningupontheleftforeleg,cutitoffwithaloudsnap。