The Crawling Creature by Donald Bayne Hobart Read online

  Thrilling Adventures, July, 1932

  Every Step Meant Danger in the Trail of Dan Buckly’s Mysterious, Sinister Killer.

  YRES swung around tensely. The come back to the camp that he and Dan heavy rifle that he held in his hands

  Buckly had made during the previous night.

  A was ready as he gazed back. His eyes Finding Dan that way had been searched the dense undergrowth that lined the horrible. Dix Ayres did not like to think about faint trail through the jungle.

  it. Yet it was hard to forget his friend lying The low overhanging branches of the

  there just at the edge of the little clearing, his trees made it dark and shadowy despite the hot head smashed like an egg hell and those two sun overhead. It was hard to see clearly for ghastly red X’s drawn across his cheeks with any distance. Twenty feet away sections of the his own blood.

  brush were merely black splotches just beyond Ayres was sure that it had not been

  the reach of the sunlight

  done by the natives. They were not very

  For the past hour he had been almost

  friendly toward what few white men ventured certain that he was being followed. He had into this part of the African brush, but still expected that he would be ever since he had they were comparatively peaceful. No, it had

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  not been the natives, Ayres was sure of that. It part of the country.

  was something far more sinister.

  From the first the two men had felt that

  Something which even the blacks they were being trailed. It had been an unusual themselves feared, and that was the “Crawling noise in the brush that had drawn Ayres away Creature.”

  from the camp the previous night.

  The Crawling Creature—no one knew

  just what it really was, for those few who had HE never had discovered what had made it, seen it had died just as had Dan Buckly,

  but during his absence the Crawling Creature murdered by that one powerful blow that had found the opportunity to get Dan cracked open their heads. It might be human Buckly—and half of the wealth that the two and then again it might be some unusual men possessed.

  species of huge ape.

  This morning, after having buried Dan

  The natives, those few that Ayres had

  as best he could, Ayres had continued—

  found willing to talk about it at all, seemed to leading south through the jungle and across believe that it was some sort of strange beast the veldt. Hoping to reach Ed Gordon and

  that had spread a wave of terror over the safety before the thing that lurked in the jungle. Ayres did not believe that the jungle got him also.

  Crawling Creature was an animal, not since he Now he found that someone was

  had seen those crimson marks on Buckly’s

  following, had been sure of it for the past cheeks.

  hour, and he believed that someone or

  They had been left there deliberately—

  something was the Crawling Creature.

  the brand of the killer. Even the highest degree Ayres searched the brush with his

  of intelligence that an ape might possess eyes, found that he could see nothing, turned would not make him capable of that.

  and started once more along the trail. He was very much alert. He had grimly made up his AYRES was convinced that the Crawling mind that whatever or whoever it was that had Creature was a fiend in human form. Possibly killed his partner would not get him in the a native, or even a demented white man. The same way.

  way the money belt that Dan Buckly had been He halted suddenly, the powerful big

  wearing had been torn from his lifeless body game rifle in his hands half raised as he heard indicated that. The five thousand dollars that a crackling in the undergrowth ahead. A man Dan had been carrying just as Ayres was now, stepped into view and Dix Ayres stood staring had been missing.

  at him in amazement.

  Someone had learned that they were

  The man was a huge creature, fully six

  carrying enough cash to buy an interest in that feet, seven inches tall and must have weighed diamond mine in South Africa that their old close to three hundred pounds. A grimy pith friend Ed Gordon had written them about.

  helmet rested on the top of the bushy head of Ayres bitterly regretted that Dan and he had flaming red hair, his clothing was torn and discussed the matter so freely there in that ragged and he held a heavy rifle in one

  little dive in the coast town near the mouth of hamlike hand. There was a belt with an

  the Congo.

  automatic in a holster strapped around his News traveled fast at times and two

  waist.

  men going alone into the brush and carrying

  “Looks like I got company,” he said as

  ten thousand dollars in cash between them was he stood gazing at Ayres. “This sure is a tempting bait for the human jackals of that pleasant surprise.”

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  3

  Ayres did not speak, but his lean, tall

  “Why?” demanded McNally, his eyes

  frame was ready for instant action as he stood fixed upon Ayres’ lean tanned face. “What’s staring at the other man. The latter appeared wrong?”

  big and powerful enough to be that mysterious

  “Something or somebody killed my

  killer, the Crawling Creature, who crushed partner last night,” Ayres answered. “Broke men’s heads in with one mighty blow. Ayres his skull with one blow.”

  was not taking any chances.

  “No wonder you’re kinda cautious,”

  “What’s the idea?” demanded the big

  said the big man. “One blow, eh?” his laugh man with a grin. “You one of them fellers that was booming, friendly. “Sure, I know what figures we ain’t be properly introduced? you’re thinking, Ayres. I look big and husky We’re both white men, ain’t we. There ain’t enough to have done it, but I didn’t. Nobody no reason for you being so damn high-hat, ever said that Lucky McNally minded a good Mister.”

  fight, but they ain’t saying that I’m a killer Ayres realized that the big man was an

  either.”

  American just as he was.

  “I’m beginning to believe you,” said

  “Who are you?” he asked slowly.

  Ayres. “I’ve heard of you before and you

  “Most people calls me ‘Lucky’ don’t look to me like you might be—” he McNally,” answered the big man. “You ain’t hesitated, deliberately waiting to see if trusting me for some reason—I can see that, McNally would finish the sentence for him.

  but you’re all wrong. I been watching you

  “Sure, I know. You don’t believe that

  from the brush up ahead there for the past five I’m this Crawling Creature. You’re right, minutes. I could have plugged you easy if I’d Ayres, I ain’t. But when I was watching you a wanted—but I didn’t. Me, I’m a right friendly few minutes ago, I seen something duck back guy, unless somebody gets me kinda into the jungle when you turned around, and perturbed.”

  kinda half crawl away.” McNally frowned.

  “Lucky McNally, eh?” said Ayres.

  “And ever since I been wondering.”

  “I thought someone was following

  HE had heard the name before. McNally bore me,” said Ayres.

  a reputation in this part of Africa of being a

  “There was,” said McNally. “And I got

  fighting two-fisted adventurer. A trader of a hunch it is this crawling whatever it is
.”

  sorts who traveled the jungle trails alone Ayres nodded. He was still suspicious.

  bartering with the natives for ivory and If McNally really was the killer, and Ayres anything else they might possess that he was not at all certain that he was not, then he deemed of value. Men spoke of Lucky was being very clever now. Saying that he had McNally with admiration and respect. It actually seen something back there along the seemed hardly possible that this man could trail, making it seem that the Crawling

  actually be the Crawling Creature and yet Creature was still lurking somewhere in the Ayres was not sure.

  brush nearby.

  “Look!” said McNally suddenly

  HE thought swiftly and then decided that his gazing over Ayres shoulder. “There is

  attitude toward McNally would be friendly but something moving back there.”

  watchful. He had not forgotten Dan Buckly Dix Ayres was no fool. He did not

  and he was not taking any chances.

  swing around with his back to the other man.

  “My name is Ayres, Dixon Ayres,” he

  That would make it far too easy for McNally said slowly. “I have to be careful.”

  if he did happen to be the murderer.

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  Ayres moved forward swiftly, stepped

  sandy hair, with a scar over his right

  by McNally, well out of the big man’s reach, eyebrow?”

  then swung around. He was standing behind

  “That’s Dan all right. Why?”

  McNally and a little to one side of him, the

  “Because I know him. Me and Dan

  heavy rifle in his hands, ready.

  used to be friends when he was in Mexico

  about five years ago.” McNally scowled evilly FAR back in the shadows along the trail he as he gazed at the jungle that surrounded saw something moving. Both he and McNally them. “And this Crawling Creature got him!

  raised their guns to their shoulders at the same The rotten offspring of a so-and-so! Listen, instant and the roar of Ayres’ Jeffery seemed Ayres, I’m gonna get this ‘what-is-it’—if it’s like the echo of the big man’s .57 express the last thing I ever do, Dan Buckly pulled me rifle.

  out of some tough spots—and I’m gunning for

  “Missed,” said McNally lowering his

  his murderer from now on.”

  weapon. “Too dark back there beneath them trees.” He swung around so that he faced

  “SO am I,” said Ayres calmly. “I thought he Ayres. “You got a lot of sense,” he said. “I’ll or it would follow me—might give me a

  hand you that, for not turning your back on a chance to get a shot in where it would do the guy you ain’t sure of. If I was in your place most good. That’s one reason why I started I’d a done the same thing.”

  along the trail this morning. The other reason

  “I haven’t forgotten what happened to

  was that I wanted to get back out to the coast my partner last night,” said Ayres grimly. “I’ll and get a boat down to Cape Town where I’ve believe that you’re not this Crawling Creature got a friend waiting to learn what became of when we get it, McNally!”

  Dan and myself.”

  “Fair enough!” said the big man.

  “I get you. This friend was figuring on

  “Only tell me one thing. Why was your giving you and Dan an in on this diamond partner killed?”

  mine. Ain’t that it?”

  Ayres hesitated an instant before he

  “Just about,” Ayres nodded.

  answered. This McNally was a hard-boiled

  “Then don’t be foolish,” said McNally.

  adventurer. If he knew that the man he now

  “You don’t want to leave this jungle until you talked to was carrying five thousand dollars in get your five thousand bucks back and we get a money belt around his waist it might prove a this Crawling Creature!”

  temptation even though he was not actually

  “Yes, I know,” said Ayres. “But I

  the Crawling Creature.

  would like to know just what this murderer is,

  “Because my partner was carrying all

  whether it is a man or a beast.”

  the money we owned,” said Ayres slowly.

  A thought struck him and he swiftly

  “Five thousand dollars that we were going to told McNally about the two X’s that had been use to buy a share of a diamond mine with.”

  drawn on Buckly’s cheeks with the murdered

  “Five thousand, eh? In cash?”

  man’s blood.

  “Yes—and it was missing from poor

  “Huh,” said the big man as he listened.

  Dan Buckly’s money belt when I found him

  “Sounds to me like this Crawling whosis is a dead.”

  man—and a crazy one at that. I’m figuring

  “Dan

  Buckly?”

  that no guy in his right mind is going to pull a

  “That was my partner’s name.”

  trick like that!”

  “Hells Hinges!” exclaimed McNally

  “That’s the way I feel about it,” said

  excitedly. “Was this Buckly a little wiry guy, Ayres.

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  Now that he knew that McNally had

  “Sure, he will. Didn’t we both just take

  been a friend of Buckly’s he was beginning to a shot at him? Well, if he knows we’re both have a bit more faith in the big man. He did after him he’s gonna want to be armed and not trust him entirely, for it might be a trick.

  ready for trouble,” McNally smiled as he

  This claim of friendship upon McNally’s part.

  glanced over his shoulder at Ayres as the latter The man who had killed Dan had seen

  walked close behind him.

  his face, would doubtlessly be able to

  “I’ve seen a lot of tough bozos in my

  remember it clearly enough to describe it as time and the reason I’m still alive and kicking Lucky McNally had done and Ayres did not

  was because I’m always willing to figure

  remember Buckly having ever mentioned the they’ve got as much brains as I have! This fact that he had known McNally.

  Crawling Creature may be crazy but he ain’t That in itself did not prove very much.

  dumb!”

  For Dan had never been inclined to be overly They went on back through the jungle,

  talkative regarding his life in the years before following the trail that had evidently been Ayres had known him.

  made by the natives, for it was too narrow to have been an elephant spoor.

  WHAT McNally said about having known

  They had ceased talking and their

  Buckly in Mexico might be true and then

  faces were hard and grim. The set expressions again it might not. But the way things stood at of their countenances brooded ill for the present Ayres was willing to give McNally the creature, be it man or beast that lurked

  benefit of the doubt.

  somewhere amid the brush.

  “It ain’t a native trick either,” said

  Heat rose in waves from the vegetation

  McNally as though half thinking aloud. “It all about them. There was no sound save the might be—” he broke off abruptly and shook faint crackling of twigs and leaves beneath his massive head.

  their feet. Constantly their gaze searched the

  “No, if I told you that you’d think I

  shadows, peering into the dark place beneath was nutty myself.”

  the trees, ever on the alert for some indication

  “What do you mean?” Ayres looked at

  of the presence of the Crawling Creature. But McNally curiously.

  nothing moved.

  “Never mind,” said the big man

&nbs
p; As they passed beneath the low

  starting back along the trail. “Come on. I got a overhanging branches of a big tree, Ayres, hunch that this killer ain’t got any gun. If he who was walking a few paces behind

  had he would have taken a shot at us both long McNally, brushed against what appeared to be before this,” he paused suddenly, and turned a bit of green vine. It snapped up into the air, to Ayres as a thought struck him. “Say, what then dropped over his head and tightened

  did you do with Buckly’s gun? He had one, suddenly, drawing him back and pulling him didn’t he?”

  half off his feet.

  He uttered a hoarse cry and McNally

  “OF course,” Ayres answered. “I buried it wheeled abruptly, the rifle in his hands ready.

  with him.”

  The big man cursed as he saw Ayres swinging

  “That was bright,” said the big trail.

  in the air, hanging by a rope made of a vine

  “I’ll bet you’ll find that grave dug up when we that was tight about his throat.

  get back to it!”

  McNally fired as he saw a shadowy

  “You mean you think this Crawling

  object make a flying leap from the tree

  Creature will want that gun?”

  above—land in the brush with a crash, and

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  then disappear. The big man did not wait to neck still ached from that vine rope. He no see if his shot had hit its mark. He could tell longer had any suspicions regarding Lucky that Ayres was strangling.