and if I hadn't dashed out of the
place it would have seized me."

"A big one, aunt?"

"A monster, my dear. But what are you going to do?"

Norman laughed, and looked at the others.

"Oh, I think we shall manage to turn him out, aunt," he said.

"But be careful, my dears, and don't run into danger."

"Oh no; we'll get the guns and talk to him through the window."

"I am glad it wasn't mamma," said Rifle.

"Or the girls," cried his cousin.

"Then I'm of no consequence at all," said the old lady, wiping her
forehead and looking hurt. "Ah, well, I suppose I'm old and not of much
importance now. There, go and kill the dreadful thing before it bites
anybody."

They were not above eighty or ninety yards from the house, and they
hurried on, closely followed by Aunt Georgie, meaning to go in by the
principal door, when all at once a black figure, having a very magpieish
look from the fact of his being clothed in an exceedingly short pair of
white drawers, came from behind the house, and seeing them, came
forward.

"Hi! Shanter!" shouted Norman, "look out. Big snake."

The black's hand went behind him instantly, and reappeared armed with
his nulla-nulla as he looked sharply round for the reptile.

"No, no; in the house," cried Norman, leading the way toward the open
door so as to get the guns.

Shanter bounded before him, flourishing his club, all excitement on the
instant.

"No, no; let me come first," said the boy, in a low husky voice. "I
want to get the guns. The snake's in the kitchen."

The black stopped short, and stood with his club hanging down, staring
at the boy. Then a grin overspread his face as Norman reappeared with
two loaded guns, one of which he handed to Tim, Rifle having meanwhile
armed himself with an axe, from where it hung just inside the door.

"Now then, come on round to the back. It's a big one."

But Shanter laughed and shook his head.

"Ah, plenty game," he said. "Baal play game."

"No. There is one, really," cried Norman, examining the pan of his gun.
"It attacked aunt."

Shanter shook his head.

"Baal. Can't pidney. What say?"

"Big snake no budgery, bite aunt," said Norman.

"Snake bite big white Mary. Baal bite: all mumkull."

"Oh, I do wish the man would speak English," cried Aunt Georgie.
"There, you boys, stand back.--Shanter, go and kill the snake."

Shanter shook his head and tucked his nulla-nulla in his waistband
again, laughing silently all t