of the trunk had ceased, and Joe in turn gave a bound to one side.

"It's coming along by here," he cried, as, in full belief that he would
the next moment be enveloped in the monster's coils, he made for the
fire.

"Where is it now?" cried Shaddy, knife in hand.

"The grass is moving there," said Brazier, pointing a little to the
right, where the tree trunks cast a deep shadow.

"Can't see--so plaguey dark," growled the guide; "and it's no good if I
could. Yes, I can see the stuff moving now. He's making for the water.
Now, sir, send a charge o' shot where the grass is waving."

But before Brazier could get a sight of the reptile it had glided into
the river, down among the branches of the fallen tree, as if quite used
to the intricate tangle of pointed wood beneath the bank, and accustomed
to use it for a home of refuge, or lurking place from which to strike at
prey.

"Did it seize you?" said Brazier excitedly.

"No, I only felt it strike against my leg and then press it to the side.
I think I trod upon it."

"Made its home, I suppose, in the hollow tree. But you are sure you are
not hurt, my boy--only frightened?"

"I couldn't help being frightened," said Rob, in rather an ill-used
tone.

"Nobody says you could," said Brazier, laughing. "Master Giovanni seems
to have been frightened too. Why, Rob, my lad, it would have almost
frightened me into fits: I have such a horror of serpents. There, I
believe after all these things are not so very dangerous."

"Don't know so much about that, sir," said Shaddy. "I've know'd 'em
coil round and squeeze a deer to death, and then swallow it."

"Yes, a small deer perhaps; but the old travellers used to tell us about
mighty boas and monstrous anacondas which could swallow buffaloes."

"Ah! they don't grow so big as that now, sir. I've seen some pretty big
ones, too, in my time, specially on the side of the river and up the
Amazons."

"Well, how big--how long have you ever seen one, Naylor?"

"Never see one a hundred foot long," said Shaddy drily.

"No, I suppose not. Come, what was the largest?"

"Largest I ever see, sir, was only the skin, as I telled Mr Rob about.
Some half-caste chaps had got it pegged out, and I dessay skinning had
stretched it a bit."

"Well, how long was that, Naylor?"

"That one was twenty-six foot long, sir, and nine foot across; and you
may take my word for it as a thing like that, all muscles like iron--say
six-and-twenty