The Octopus Cycle: A Science Fiction/Short Story Classic By Fletcher Pratt !

Excerpt:

One man, half maddened, even ran forward, waving his bayonet, and was gathered gently up by two of those big arms as a child might be picked up by its parent.

A thrill of wavering ran down the line; one or two threw away their rifles, when suddenly, right at their feet, one of the monsters collapsed. There was a chorus of whistling and they moved backward, apparently without turning, as rapidly and silently as they had come. . .

A feeble cheer rose from the Senegalese, a cheer that wa...