if it comes down here, will be trying hard to escape. It
will not attack you."

I hoped Uncle Dick was right, but could not feel sure, as I remained on
the side of the steep slope, at the bottom of which a tiny stream
trickled amongst a long patch of luxuriant canes through which I
expected the serpent would try to escape to another part of the island.

The next minute I was quite alone, for in obedience to my uncle's signs,
and eagerly falling into his plans, Ebo ran off to get to the back of
the little marsh, my uncle also disappearing quietly on my own side, but
of course higher up.

"Perhaps the serpent won't be here after all," I thought to myself as I
stood there in the midst of the profound silence; and I could not keep
back the hope within me that this might be the case.

Everything was now very still, only that once from a distance came the
hoarse cry of a bird of paradise and the scream of a parrot, but
directly after I seemed to detect the peculiar noise made by a hornbill,
one of which birds flapped across the little valley towards a clump of
trees.

Not a sound came from beyond the cane swamp, and the slightest grasses
hardly moved, but stood there with their feathery plumes bathed in
sunshine, while with strained eyes I counted the knots on every
light-brown and cream-coloured cane.

I was watching for a wavy, undulating movement, which I felt sure must
follow if the serpent was there and creeping about; but all was
perfectly still.

"It must be farther up to the top of the marsh than he thinks," I said
to myself; and then I heard a cry which made my blood bound through my
veins. But there was nothing the matter; it was only Ebo on the move,
and I heard my uncle answer him. Then there was a beating noise as if
the black was thrashing the canes with his club.

Then my heart seemed to leap to my mouth, for there was a rustling in
the tall grasses, something seemed to be forcing its way through, and
with my gun at my shoulder I was ready to fire at the first glimpse of
the scaly skin, but feathers appeared instead, and a couple of large
wading-birds flew out.

The beating went on, and bird after bird took flight from its
lurking-place, some being very beautiful; but no serpent appeared, and I
began to feel more bold.

Still the beating went on, with Ebo shouting from time to time and my
uncle answering, till they could not have been more than fifty yards
above me, when suddenly the black seem