But it
was much more vigorous than any lizard. I tried to crush it, but could
not. As to thickness, it seemed to be about the diameter of one of those
lead pencils. It was like this I had it."
Rounds picked up a couple of lead pencils from the desk and took my hand
in his. He told me to close my fist and then placed one pencil
lengthwise so that an end of it was between my first and second finger
and the rubber-tipped end lay across my wrist. The other pencil he
thrust crosswise so that the pointed end stuck out between the second
and third finger and the blunt end between the index finger and thumb.
"There you have it," he said. "That's how I held the little devil. Now
grip hard and try to crush the pencils and you'll have something of the
same sensation as I had. Holding it thus, I could feel its head jerking
this way and that, violently, and its tail, long and lithe, lashing at
my wrist. The little claws were trying to tear, but they were evidently
softish. I could hear, or thought I could, the snap of its little jaws.
It was about the nastiest sensation that I ever experienced. I don't
know why I thought that it was venomous, but I did. I tried to smash the
thing in my hand--tried again and again, and I have a good grip--but
might just as well have tried to crush a piece of wire.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210