ended from the tree, and went
to examine the game he had brought down. Cutting some pliable sticks, he
dragged the serpents together, and passed a withe around them behind the
hood, and started back for the rendezvous where they were to take the
carriage. He was determined to convince Scott that he was not afraid of
snakes.

He had already heard several shots, and realized that his companions had
found game of some kind. He waited a full hour for them, when Louis
returned first, with a very handsome deer slung on a pole with Khayrat
carrying the other end. Morris came in with a monkey, which the officers
would not have permitted him to kill if they had been near him. Scott came
in last with only a couple of birds.

"Did ye's mate ony cobrys, Musther Scott?" asked Felix.

"Not a cobra; and I didn't want to meet any," replied Scott, disappointed
at his luck.

"You's air afeered of the schnakes," rallied the Milesian.

"So are you, Flix. If you saw one you wouldn't stop running till you got
back to Baroda," returned the third officer of the ship.

"But I have seen four of them in my little walk, and I'm not doing any
running just now," said Felix triumphantly.

"Go 'way with you, Milesian, and don't tell any fish stories!" replied
Scott, continuing to blackguard him while the servants were putting the
deer on the top of the wagon.

"Do you want to carry those snakes back to the palace?" asked Khayrat.

"What snakes?" asked Scott.

"I'll be most happy to introjuce you to four uv 'em I killed," added Felix;
and Scott was convinced against his will, and the dead serpents were put on
the wagon.

In another hour they reached the palace, and the game was exhibited to a
wondering audience. The officers explained how so many of the cobras
happened to be together; but Felix had reached a correct conclusion before.
Mrs. Blossom scolded him for not running away when he saw the first one;
but he declared he had to prove that a boy with Kilkenny blood in his veins
was not afraid of snakes.

CHAPTER XXVI

THE MAGNIFICENT PROCESSION OF THE SOWARI

Felix had to repeat his story, and he was regarded as quite a hero by the
Americans, though Sir Modava and other natives thought but little of it.
Mrs. Blossom continued to scold at him for not running away from the
serpents.

"How could I run away when I was surrounded by the snakes?" demanded Felix,
when the worthy