Andthenhesawfirstoneandthenasecondgreatwhiteball，agreatshiningwhiteballlikeagiganticheadofthistle-down，thatdrovebeforethewindathwartthepath。Theseballssoaredhighintheair，anddroppedandroseagainandcaughtforamoment，andhurriedonandpassed，butatthesightofthemtherestlessnessofthehorsesincreased。
　　Thenpresentlyhesawthatmoreofthesedriftingglobes——andthensoonverymanymore——werehurryingtowardshimdownthevalley。
　　Theybecameawareofasquealing。Athwartthepathahugeboarrushed，turninghisheadbutforoneinstanttoglanceatthem，andthenhurlingondownthevalleyagain。Andatthat，allthreestoppedandsatintheirsaddles，staringintothethickeninghazethatwascominguponthem。
　　“Ifitwerenotforthisthistle-down——“begantheleader。
　　Butnowabigglobecamedriftingpastwithinascoreofyardsofthem。Itwasreallynotanevensphereatall，butavast，soft，ragged，filmything，asheetgatheredbythecorners，anaerialjelly-fish，asitwere，butrollingoverandoverasitadvanced，andtrailinglong，cobwebbythreadsandstreamersthatfloatedinitswake。
　　“Itisn’tthistle-down，“saidthelittleman。
　　“Idon’tlikethestuff，“saidthegauntman。
　　Andtheylookedatoneanother。
　　“Curseit！“criedtheleader。“Theair’sfullofitupthere。
　　Ifitkeepsonatthispacelong，itwillstopusaltogether。“
　　Aninstinctivefeeling，suchaslinesoutaherdofdeerattheapproachofsomeambiguousthing，promptedthemtoturntheirhorsestothewind，rideforwardforafewpaces，andstareatthatadvancingmultitudeoffloatingmasses。Theycameonbeforethewindwithasortofsmoothswiftness，risingandfallingnoiselessly，sinkingtoearth，reboundinghigh，soaring——allwithaperfectunanimity，withastill，deliberateassurance。
　　Rightandleftofthehorsementhepioneersofthisstrangearmypassed。Atonethatrolledalongtheground，breakingshapelesslyandtrailingoutreluctantlyintolonggrapplingribbonsandbands，allthreehorsesbegantoshyanddance。Themasterwasseizedwithasuddenunreasonableimpatience。Hecursedthedriftingglobesroundly。“Geton！“hecried；“geton！Whatdothesethingsmatter？
　　HowCANtheymatter？Backtothetrail！“Hefellswearingathishorseandsawedthebitacrossitsmouth。
　　Heshoutedaloudwithrage。“Iwillfollowthattrail，Itellyou！“
　　hecried。“Whereisthetrail？“
　　Hegrippedthebridleofhisprancinghorseandsearchedamidstthegrass。Alongandclingingthreadfellacrosshisface，agreystreamerdroppedabouthisbridle-arm，somebig，activethingwithmanylegsrandownthebackofhishead。Helookeduptodiscoveroneofthosegreymassesanchoredasitwereabovehimbythesethingsandflappingoutendsasasailflapswhenaboatcomes，about——
　　butnoiselessly。
　　Hehadanimpressionofmanyeyes，ofadensecrewofsquatbodies，oflong，many-jointedlimbshaulingattheirmooringropestobringthethingdownuponhim。Foraspacehestaredup，reininginhisprancinghorsewiththeinstinctbornofyearsofhorsemanship。
　　Thentheflatofaswordsmotehisback，andabladeflashedoverheadandcutthedriftingballoonofspider-webfree，andthewholemassliftedsoftlyanddroveclearandaway。
　　“Spiders！“criedthevoiceofthegauntman。“Thethingsarefullofbigspiders！Look，mylord！“
　　Themanwiththesilverbridlestillfollowedthemassthatdroveaway。
　　“Look，mylord！“
　　Themasterfoundhimselfstaringdownatared，smashedthingonthegroundthat，inspiteofpartialobliteration，couldstillwriggleunavailinglegs。Thenwhenthegauntmanpointedtoanothermassthatboredownuponthem，hedrewhisswordhastily。Upthevalleynowitwaslikeafogbanktorntorags。Hetriedtograspthesituation。
　　“Rideforit！“thelittlemanwasshouting。“Rideforitdownthevalley。“
　　Whathappenedthenwasliketheconfusionofabattle。Themanwiththesilverbridlesawthelittlemangopasthimslashingfuriouslyatimaginarycobwebs，sawhimcannonintothehorseofthegauntmanandhurlitanditsridertoearth。Hisownhorsewentadozenpacesbeforehecouldreinitin。Thenhelookeduptoavoidimaginarydangers，andthenbackagaintoseeahorserollingontheground，thegauntmanstandingandslashingoveritatarentandflutteringmassofgreythatstreamedandwrappedaboutthemboth。Andthickandfastasthistle-downonwastelandonawindydayinJuly，thecobwebmasseswerecomingon。
　　Thelittlemanhaddismounted，buthedarednotreleasehishorse。
　　Hewasendeavouringtolugthestrugglingbrutebackwiththestrengthofonearm，whilewiththeotherheslashedaimlessly，Thetentaclesofasecondgreymasshadentangledthemselveswiththestruggle，andthissecondgreymasscametoitsmoorings，andslowlysank。
　　Themastersethisteeth，grippedhisbridle，loweredhishead，andspurredhishorseforward。Thehorseonthegroundrolledover，therewerebloodandmovingshapesupontheflanks，andthegauntman，suddenlyleavingit，ranforwardtowardshismaster，perhapstenpaces。
　　Hislegswereswathedandencumberedwithgrey；hemadeineffectualmovementswithhissword。Greystreamerswavedfromhim；therewasathinveilofgreyacrosshisface。Withhislefthandhebeatatsomethingonhisbody，andsuddenlyhestumbledandfell。Hestruggledtorise，andfellagain，andsuddenly，horribly，begantohowl，“Oh——ohoo，ohooh！“
　　Themastercouldseethegreatspidersuponhim，andothersupontheground。
　　Ashestrovetoforcehishorsenearertothisgesticulating，screaminggreyobjectthatstruggledupanddown，therecameaclatterofhoofs，andthelittleman，inactofmounting，swordless，balancedonhisbellyathwartthewhitehorse，andclutchingitsmane，whirledpast。Andagainaclingingthreadofgreygossamersweptacrossthemaster’sface。Allabouthim，andoverhim，itseemedthisdrifting，noiselesscobwebcircledanddrewnearerhim……
　　Tothedayofhisdeathheneverknewjusthowtheeventofthatmomenthappened。Didhe，indeed，turnhishorse，ordiditreallyofitsownaccordstampedeafteritsfellow？Sufficeitthatinanothersecondhewasgallopingfulltiltdownthevalleywithhisswordwhirlingfuriouslyoverhead。Andallabouthimonthequickeningbreeze，thespiders’airships，theirairbundlesandairsheets，seemedtohimtohurryinaconsciouspursuit。
　　Clatter，clatter，thud，thud——themanwiththesilverbridlerode，heedlessofhisdirection，withhisfearfulfacelookingupnowright，nowleft，andhisswordarmreadytoslash。Andafewhundredyardsaheadofhim，withatailoftorncobwebtrailingbehindhim，rodethelittlemanonthewhitehorse，stillbutimperfectlyinthesaddle。
　　Thereedsbentbeforethem，thewindblewfreshandstrong，overhisshoulderthemastercouldseethewebshurryingtoovertake……
　　Hewassointenttoescapethespiders’websthatonlyashishorsegatheredtogetherforaleapdidherealisetheravineahead。AndthenhereaIiseditonlytomisunderstandandinterfere。Hewasleaningforwardonhishorse’sneckandsatupandbackalltoolate。
　　Butifinhisexcitementhehadfailedtoleap，atanyratehehadnotforgottenhowtofall。Hewashorsemanagaininmid-air。
　　Hecameoffclearwithamerebruiseuponhisshoulder，andhishorserolled，kickingspasmodiclegs，andlaystill。Butthemaster’ssworddroveitspointintothehardsoil，andsnappedcleanacross，asthoughChancerefusedhimanylongerasherKnight，andthesplinteredendmissedhisfacebyaninchorso。
　　Hewasonhisfeetinamoment，breathlesslyscanningtheonrushingspider-webs。Foramomenthewasmindedtorun，andthenthoughtoftheravine，andturnedback。Heranasideoncetododgeonedriftingterror，andthenhewasswiftlyclamberingdowntheprecipitoussides，andoutofthetouchofthegale。
　　Thereundertheleeofthedrytorrent’ssteeperbankshemightcrouch，andwatchthesestrange，greymassespassandpassinsafetytillthewindfell，anditbecamepossibletoescape。Andthereforalongtimehecrouched，watchingthestrange，grey，raggedmassestrailtheirstreamersacrosshisnarrowedsky。
　　Onceastrayspiderfellintotheravineclosebesidehim——afullfootitmeasuredfromlegtoleg，anditsbodywashalfaman’shand——
　　andafterhehadwatcheditsmonstrousalacrityofsearchandescapeforalittlewhile，andtemptedittobitehisbrokensword，helifteduphisiron-heeledbootandsmasheditintoapulp。Hesworeashedidso，andforatimesoughtupanddownforanother。
　　Thenpresently，whenhewassurerthesespiderswarmscouldnotdropintotheravine，hefoundaplacewherehecouldsitdown，andsatandfellintodeepthoughtandbeganafterhismannertognawhisknucklesandbitehisnails。Andfromthishewasmovedbythecomingofthemanwiththewhitehorse。
　　Heheardhimlongbeforehesawhim，asaclatteringofhoofs，stumblingfootsteps，andareassuringvoice。Thenthelittlemanappeared，aruefulfigure，stillwithatailofwhitecobwebtrailingbehindhim。Theyapproachedeachotherwithoutspeaking，withoutasalutation。Thelittlemanwasfatiguedandshamedtothepitchofhopelessbitterness，andcametoastopatlast，facetofacewithhisseatedmaster。Thelatterwincedalittleunderhisdependant’seye。“Well？“hesaidatlast，withnopretenceofauthority。