At sight of these strange, swift, and terrible creatures the crowd
near the water's edge seemed to me to be for a moment horror-struck.
There was no screaming or shouting, but a silence.  Then a hoarse
murmur and a movement of feet--a splashing from the water.  A man, too
frightened to drop the portmanteau he carried on his shoulder, swung
round and sent me staggering with a blow from the corner of his
burden.  A woman thrust at me with her hand and rushed past me.  I
turned with the rush of the people, but I was not too terrified for
thought.  The terrible Heat-Ray was in my mind.  To get under water!
That was it!