One after another it shot out four long things, like two arms and two legs, but it was now too dark to tell what they were.

The nurse began to tremble from head to foot.

Irene clasped Curdie's hand yet faster, and Curdie began to sing again: 'One, two-- Hit and hew! Three, four-- Blast and bore! Five, six-- There's a fix! Seven, eight-- Hold it straight! Nine, ten-- Hit again! Hurry! scurry! Bother! smother! There's a toad In the road! Smash it! Squash it! Fry it! Dry it! You're another! Up and off! There's enough!-- Huuuuuh!' As he uttered the last words, Curdie let go his hold of his companion, and rushed at the thing in the road as if he would trample it under his feet.

It gave a great spring, and ran straight up one of the rocks like a huge spider.

Curdie turned back laughing, and took Irene's hand again.