Железный человек
The Return of the Iron Man
ThenHogarthunderstoodwhatwashappening. Hecouldhearastrangetearingandcreakingsound. TheIronManwaspullingupthebarbed-wirefencethatleddownthehill. AndsoonHogarthcouldseehim,ashecamenearer,tearingthewirefromthefenceposts,rollingituplikespaghettiandeatingit. TheIronManwaseatingthebarbedfencingwire.
Butifhewentalongthefence,eatingashemoved,hewouldn’tcomeanywherenearthetrap,whichwasoutinthemiddleofthefield. Hecouldspendthewholenightwanderingaboutthecountrysidealongthefences,rollingupthewireandeatingit, andneverwouldanyfencebringhimnearthetrap.
ButHogarthhadanidea. Inhispocket,amongotherthings,hehadalongnailandaknife. Hetooktheseout.Didhedare? Hisideafrightenedhim.Inthesilentdusk,hetappedthenailandtheknifebladetogether.
Clink,Clink,Clink!
Atthesoundofthemetal,theIronMan’shandsbecamestill. Afterafewseconds,heslowlyturnedhisheadandtheheadlampeyesshonetowardsHogarth.
Again,Clink,Clink,Clink!wentthenailontheknife.
Slowly,theIronMantookthreestridestowardsHogarth,andagainstopped. Itwasnowquitedark. Theheadlampsshonered. Hogarthpressedclosetothetree-trunk. BetweenhimandtheIronManlaythewidelidofthetrap.
Clink,Clink,Clink!againhetappedthenailontheknife.
AndnowtheIronManwascoming. Hogarthcouldfeeltheearthshakingundertheweightofhisfootsteps. Wasittoolatetorun? HogarthstaredattheIronMan,looming,searchingtowardshimforthetasteofthemetalthathadmadethatinvitingsound.
Clink,Clink,Clink!wentthenailontheknife.And
CRASSSHHH!
TheIronManvanished.
Hewasinthepit. TheIronManhadfallenintothepit. Hogarthwentclose. TheearthwasshakingastheIronManstruggledunderground. Hogarthpeeredoverthetornedgeofthegreatpit. Farbelow,twodeepredheadlampsglaredupathimfromthepitchblackness.
