on about giving the brute a wide berth,
and at the end of a minute or two it uncoiled itself and lay in
undulations, showing its length pretty plainly.

"That was its flurry," said the mate, advancing now, and the men came
down from the shrouds, the top of the galley, and out of the boats where
they had taken refuge; "but perhaps we had better pitch it over the side
till morning."

A low murmur arose from the men.

"What's that?" cried the mate sharply. "Are you afraid of the thing?"

"Well, sir, not exactly afraid," said Smith respectfully, "only you see
it arn't like handling a rope."

"Yah!"

A tremendous shout or rather yell from away aft, and the sailor who had
taken refuge in that direction, now came running forward.

"What's the matter, Wriggs?" cried the mate.

"Seen his ghost, sir," groaned the man, who looked ghastly by the light
of the lanterns.

"What?" cried the mate, as the three naturalists headed the shout of
laughter which rose from the crew.

"Ah, you may laugh," grumbled the man, wiping the perspiration from his
face, "but there it is all twissen up by the wheel and it made a snap at
me as I got close up."

"You're a duffer," roared the mate. "Look here, my lads, he has seen
the big hawser."

"No, sir," cried Wriggs, striking one hand heavily into the other, as a
burst of laughter arose. "I see that there sarpent's sperrit twissen up
round the wheel and the binnacle, and if you don't believe me, go and
see. Ah! Look out: here it comes."

The man made a dash to get right forward out of the way, but, in his
excitement, tripped over the body of the serpent lying gently heaving
upon the deck, went headlong, yelling in his fear, and rolled over and
over to the side.

But little attention was paid to him, the men thinking of nothing else
but retreating, for from out of the gloom aft, and making a strange
rustling in its serpentine course, a reptile, largely magnified by dread
and the gloom, came gliding towards them with its crest raised about
eight inches from the planks.

For a moment or two, as the men hurried away, the little party from the
cabin stood staring in wonder.

"Run, gentlemen, run," shouted Smith. "He'll be orfle savage. T'ain't
a ghost, it's t'other half. I knowed I cut him in two when I let go
with the haxe."

"I know," cried Oliver, excitedly.

"Yes, sir. It's t'other half, sir," yelled Smith, who had swung himself
up on one of the stays, where he clung l