e, treating
that as the cause of all its suffering. Morgan stood there full of
excitement, but though longing to deliver a blow that should paralyse if
it did not kill our enemy, I could not get the slightest chance.

"Ah, we ought to have had a cut at him before he twined about my pole,"
said Morgan, after this had been going on for some minutes; "but it
wasn't your fault; there wasn't time."

"No," I said, gloomily, "there was no time. Now then, hold tight."

I made a rapid stroke at the long, lithe body which suddenly untwisted
to its full length, but my rake-handle only struck the ground, for the
serpent was quicker than I, and it threw itself once more in a series of
quivering folds about Morgan's pole.

"Well, he is strong," cried the latter. "But I have it. I'm getting a
bit 'fraid he'll work quite a hole, and get out, and I'm not at all sure
that the nails arn't giving. Look here, Master George; put your hand in
my pocket, and pull out and open my big knife ready for me. Then you
shall hold the pole, and I'll go down and try and cut his head off."

"But will that be safe?" I said. "Hadn't we better leave go and run
away?"

"What, and leave a customer like this free to hunt about our place? Now
you wouldn't like to do that, I know."

"No; I shouldn't like to do that," I said; "but it would be terrible if
he got away."

"Well then, out with my knife--quick! I'm beginning to wish we'd left
him alone, for it'll be chizzle for both of us if he do get loose."

I hastily took his knife from his pocket, and opened it.

"That's your style, Master George. Now then, stick it across my mouth,
and then take hold just under my hands. You must press it down hard, or
he'll heave himself out, for he's mighty strong, I can tell you. Got
hold?"

"Yes," I said, as I took hold of the pole, keeping my feet as far away
as I could from the writhing knot, for fear it should suddenly untwine
and embrace my legs.

"That's right, press down hard. Think you can hold him?"

"I don't know; I think so."

"Now, look ye here, my lad, thinking won't do; you've got to hold him,
and if you feel as you can't you must say so. Rattlesnakes arn't garden
wums."

"I'll try, and I will hold it," I said.

"There you have it, then," he said, releasing the pole, and leaving it
quivering and vibrating in my hands. "Now then, I'm going to wait till
he untwines again, and then I'm going to have off his head, if he don't
work