All these were the voices of inanimate objects,--phenomena of nature, easily understood. But, rising above them, were heard sounds of a different character, which, though they might be equally natural, were not equally familiar to those who listened to them. There was a sort of dull battering,--as if some gigantic creature was performing a Terpsichorean feat upon the sand-bank above them; but sharper sounds were heard at intervals,--screams commingled with short snortings, both proclaiming something of the nature of a struggle. Neither in the screams nor the snortings was there anything that the listeners could identify as sounds they had ever heard before. They were alike perplexing to the ears of English, Irish, and Scotch. Even old Bill, who had heard, sometime or other, nearly every sound known to creation, could not classify them. "Divil take thim!" whispered he to his companions, "I dinna know what to make av it. It be hawful to 'ear 'em!" "Hark!" ejaculated Harry Blount. "Hish!" exclaimed Terence. "Wheesh!" muttered Colin. "It's coming nearer, whatever it may be. Wheesh!" There could be no doubt about the truth of this conjecture; for as the caution passed from the lips of the young Scotchman, the dull hammering, the snorts, and the unearthly screams were evidently drawing nearer,--though the creature that was causing them was unseen through the thick sand-mist still surrounding the listeners. These, however, heard enough to know that some heavy body was making a rapid descent down the sloping gorge, and with an impetuosity that rendered it prudent for them to get out of its way. More by an instinct, than from any correct appreciation of the danger, all four fell back from the narrow trench in which they had been standing,--each, as he best could, retreating up the declivity of the sand-hill. Scarce were they able to obtain footing in their new position, when the sounds they had heard not only became louder and nearer, but the creature that had been causing them paused close to their feet,--so close that most of them could have touched it with their toes. For all that, not one of the party could tell what it was; and after it had passed,--on its way down the ravine,--and was once more lost to their view amid the swirling sand, they were not a bit further advanced in their knowledge of the strange creature that had come so near crushing out their existence with its ponderous weight! All that they had been able to see was a conglomeration of dark objects,--resembling the head, neck, body, and limbs of some uncouth animal,--while the sounds that proceeded from it were like utterances that might have come from some other world; for certainly they had but slight resemblance to anything the castaways had ever heard in this--either upon sea, or land! CHAPTER XIII. THE MAHERRY. For some length of time they stood conjecturing,--the boys with clasped hands,--Old Bill near, but apart.