through the hollow teeth
when they are pressed by the animal biting."

"But you don't call that 'ere a hanimal, sir?" said Smith, as he wiped
the perspiration from his forehead.

"What is it, then?" said Oliver, laughingly quoting from an old book--"a
vegetable?"

"Well, no, sir, but it does look some'at like a sort o' liquorice stick
as the boys used to buy to chew when we went to school."

"It looks more like what it is," said Oliver, "a very dangerous viper,
and I warn you both to be very careful about meddling with such things
again."

"But you see it was such a little 'un, sir," said Wriggs,
apologetically.

"None the less dangerous, and you've had a very narrow escape," said
Oliver. Then noting the men's disappointed looks, he continued--

"But I'm very grateful to you all the same. It was very thoughtful of
you, Wriggs, and I am glad to have it to add to my collection."

"Then you won't chuck it away, sir?" said Wriggs, brightening up.

"Throw it away--a rare specimen of a poisonous snake? Most decidedly
not. I shall put it in my tin of spirit, and preserve it carefully."

"Seems most a pity to waste good liquor on such a wicious little beggar,
don't it, sir?"

"By no means," said Oliver, smiling. "There, I hope I shall have the
pleasure of showing it to one of our best zoologists. Now, Smith, let's
have a look at yours."

"Well, yes, sir," said the man addressed, as he still kept his hand
behind him. "You may as well see it now. Me and Billy here seed my
gentleman three or four mornin's ago."

"Four, Tommy. Allus make yer knots tight."

"Weer it four, Billy? All right, then, four mornin's ago, just as it
was gettin' light, an' I says to him, I says, `Now that's just the sort
o' bird as Muster Oliver Lane would like to have to stuff,' didn't I,
Billy?"

"Well, it warn't quite in them there words, Tommy, but it meant that
'ere."

"Don't you be so nation perticler about a heff or a gee, messmate. If
it meant what I says, wheer's the harm?"

"Allus speak the truth, Tommy. Allus speak the truth," growled Wriggs.

"Come, come, I want to see my bird," said Oliver. "Go on, Smith."

"That's just what I wants to do, sir, on'y Billy Wriggs here he is such
a haggravatin' beggar. If yer don't speak your words to half a quarter
of a hinch, he's down on yer."

Wriggs chuckled, and his messmate went on, but frowned and scowled at
him all the time.

"Well, sir, I hups with my gun to sho