{"product_id":"2940014008525","title":"Out of Time's Abyss","description":"Chapter I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis is the tale of Bradley after he left Fort Dinosaur upon the west\u003cbr\u003ecoast of the great lake that is in the center of the island.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUpon the fourth day of September, 1916, he set out with four\u003cbr\u003ecompanions, Sinclair, Brady, James, and Tippet, to search along the\u003cbr\u003ebase of the barrier cliffs for a point at which they might be scaled.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThrough the heavy Caspakian air, beneath the swollen sun, the five men\u003cbr\u003emarched northwest from Fort Dinosaur, now waist-deep in lush, jungle\u003cbr\u003egrasses starred with myriad gorgeous blooms, now across open\u003cbr\u003emeadow-land and parklike expanses and again plunging into dense forests\u003cbr\u003eof eucalyptus and acacia and giant arboreous ferns with feathered\u003cbr\u003efronds waving gently a hundred feet above their heads.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAbout them upon the ground, among the trees and in the air over them\u003cbr\u003emoved and swung and soared the countless forms of Caspak's teeming\u003cbr\u003elife.  Always were they menaced by some frightful thing and seldom were\u003cbr\u003etheir rifles cool, yet even in the brief time they had dwelt upon\u003cbr\u003eCaprona they had become callous to danger, so that they swung along\u003cbr\u003elaughing and chatting like soldiers on a summer hike.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This reminds me of South Clark Street,\" remarked Brady, who had once\u003cbr\u003eserved on the traffic squad in Chicago; and as no one asked him why, he\u003cbr\u003evolunteered that it was \"because it's no place for an Irishman.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"South Clark Street and heaven have something in common, then,\"\u003cbr\u003esuggested Sinclair.  James and Tippet laughed, and then a hideous growl\u003cbr\u003ebroke from a dense thicket ahead and diverted their attention to other\u003cbr\u003ematters.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"One of them behemoths of 'Oly Writ,\" muttered Tippet as they came to a\u003cbr\u003ehalt and with guns ready awaited the almost inevitable charge.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Hungry lot o' beggars, these,\" said Bradley; \"always trying to eat\u003cbr\u003eeverything they see.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFor a moment no further sound came from the thicket.  \"He may be\u003cbr\u003efeeding now,\" suggested Bradley.  \"We'll try to go around him.  Can't\u003cbr\u003ewaste ammunition.  Won't last forever.  Follow me.\"  And he set off at\u003cbr\u003eright angles to their former course, hoping to avert a charge.  They\u003cbr\u003ehad taken a dozen steps, perhaps, when the thicket moved to the advance\u003cbr\u003eof the thing within it, the leafy branches parted, and the hideous head\u003cbr\u003eof a gigantic bear emerged.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Pick your trees,\" whispered Bradley.  \"Can't waste ammunition.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe men looked about them.  The bear took a couple of steps forward,\u003cbr\u003estill growling menacingly.  He was exposed to the shoulders now.\u003cbr\u003eTippet took one look at the monster and bolted for the nearest tree;\u003cbr\u003eand then the bear charged.  He charged straight for Tippet.  The other\u003cbr\u003emen scattered for the various trees they had selected--all except\u003cbr\u003eBradley.  He stood watching Tippet and the bear.  The man had a good\u003cbr\u003estart and the tree was not far away; but the speed of the enormous\u003cbr\u003ecreature behind him was something to marvel at, yet Tippet was in a\u003cbr\u003efair way to make his sanctuary when his foot caught in a tangle of\u003cbr\u003eroots and down he went, his rifle flying from his hand and falling\u003cbr\u003eseveral yards away.  Instantly Bradley's piece was at his shoulder,\u003cbr\u003ethere was a sharp report answered by a roar of mingled rage and pain\u003cbr\u003efrom the carnivore.  Tippet attempted to scramble to his feet.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079822295280,"sku":"2940014008525","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940014008525_p0.jpg?v=1763598909","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940014008525","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}