In another moment he had beaten off the hyena-swine with the handle of his whip, and he and Montgomery were keeping away the excited carnivorous beast people, and particularly M’ling, from the still quivering body. The hairy-grey thing came sniffing at the corpse under my arm. The other animals, in their animal ardour, jostled me to get a nearer view.

“Confound you, Prendick!” said Moreau. “I wanted him.”

“I’m sorry,” said I, though I was not. “It was the impulse of the moment.” I felt sick with exertion and excitement. Turning, I pushed my way out of the crowding beast people and went on alone up the slope towards the higher part of the headland. Under the shouted directions of Moreau I heard the three white-swathed bull-men begin dragging the victim down towards the water.