mastering his feeling of
trepidation, he took the gun, and rested the barrels on the rail.

"Why am I to fire under if I want to hit the snake?" he said.

"Because you will be in motion, and if you do not, your charge of shot
will be carried above the reptile for one thing; another is to allow for
the refraction, which makes the snake seem higher in the water than it
is."

"But that one has its back right out."

"Yes: quick! a quick aim, and then draw the trigger."

Jack had never fired a gun in his life, and he shrank from doing so now,
but every one was watching him; and as the barrels still lay on the
rail, he glanced along between them as he had along the captain's
telescope that morning, and pulled the trigger, but no explosion
followed.

"Quick!" cried the doctor. "Do you call that quick?"

"It won't go off," said Jack, with a touch of irritation in his voice.

"Of course it won't," cried the doctor. "Why, you had not cocked it."

Jack had had no experience of guns, but he knew what ought to be done,
and quickly drawing back the hammers, he took aim just beneath the
largest of the snakes, and fired.

He had not placed the stock close to his shoulder, so he received a
sharp blow, and the report sounded deafening, the smoke was blinding,
and it was some moments before he was able to see what luck had attended
his shot.

Better than he expected. The large snake was writhing and twining about
in the water, and splashing it with blows from its tail, but the others
had disappeared, and the mate had dropped down into the boat, and taken
up the long-handled gaff-hook.

"Mind what you're about, Bartlett," cried the captain. "Don't lift it
into the boat while it's so lively."

"I'll take care," was the reply, and after giving the gig a thrust which
sent it near enough, the mate watched his opportunity, and lowering the
hook made a snatch with it, catching the snake somewhere about the
middle.

The touch seemed to fill the reptile full of animation, and quick as
thought it twined itself in a knot about the hook, bit at it, and began
lashing at the strong ash pole with its tail.

"Don't be rash, Bartlett," cried the captain. "We mustn't have any
accidents. There, keep the end down in the water while Mr Meadows here
gives it the other barrel."

"Fire at it again?" said Jack, who was full of excitement.

"Yes; give it him and finish him off," cried the doctor.

Jack raised the piece again, and it wa