SREE'S PRISONER
The hunter took a couple of steps forward, looked down into the
basket, looked up, half stunned with astonishment, looked in the lid,
then outside it, lifted up the basket and peered under it, threw down
the lid, felt in his sarong, and then, as there was no heavy boa
twelve or fourteen feet long in its folds, he turned fiercely to the
two men in turn to ask them angrily in their own tongue what they had
done with the snake.
Both of them felt in their sarongs and began to protest volubly that
they had not touched it; that it was there just now, for they had
heard it and felt the weight. It was there--it must be there--and
their master had better look again.
"It's a conjuring trick," said Phra, who looked annoyed.
"I had nothing to do with it, then," said Harry. "I hadn't, honour
bright," he added hurriedly as his companion looked doubtingly at him.
"Here, Sree, have you begun to learn juggling?"
"No, Sahib; it was a lovely snake, all yellow, with big brown spots
and purple shadows all over the dark parts. One of these sons of
wickedness must have taken it out to sell it to some ship captain to
carry away. Surely Sree would not try to cheat the good Sahibs and his
Prince by playing tricks like an Indian juggler. Here, Michael; you
heard the snake inside before the master came?"
"Yes," said Mike, who looked quite brave now, as he approached and
looked into the basket searchingly. "I'm sure I heard it plainly, but
there's no snake here now. There has been one here, though, for you
can smell it."
"Yes, there has been one here," cried Harry eagerly. "Then where is it
gone?"
"Something dreadful has blinded all our eyes, Sahib, so that we cannot
see. Thrust in your hand and feel if it is there."
Harry shrank for the moment, for the idea of feeling after a snake
that had been rendered invisible was startling; but feeling ashamed
the next moment of his superstitious folly, he plunged his hand down
into the basket, felt round it, and stood up.
"There's nothing in there," he said.
"Well, you could see that there was not," said his father shortly.
"But there has been one there quite lately," said Harry. "Smell my
fingers, Phra."
"Pouf! Serpent!" cried the young Prince, with a gesture of disgust.
"It must have got away."
Sree took hold of the basket, bent down into it, looked all round, and
then to the surprise of all he stood it up again, turned it round a
little, and then jumped in, to stand upright.
The surprise came to an end directly, for Sree pointed downward, and
as he did so he thrust his toes through the bottom of the basket,
where no hole had been apparent, but which gave way easily to the
pressure of the man's foot from within, thus showing that it must have
been broken at that one particular place.
"What! A hole in the bottom for the reptile to crawl out? That was
wise of you, Sree!"
"I was wise, Sahib, and the basket had no hole in it when we put the
snake in."
"Then it must have made one, and forced its way through."
Sree was silent, and looked at Mike as if waiting for him to speak.
But Mike had not the least intention of speaking, and stood with his
lips pinched together, perfectly dumb.
"Why, of course!" cried Harry excitedly; "I see now. Mike gave the
basket a tremendous kick as he went by it, and startled the serpent,
and made it swing about. Why, Mike, you must have broken a hole
through then."
"Master Harry, I--" began Mike.
"Yes, Sahib, that was it; he broke a hole through, and once the
snake's head was through he would force his way right out."
"One minute," said Mr. Kenyon rather anxiously; "tell me, Harry: are
you perfectly sure that the snake was there?"
"Certain, father."
"And you saw Michael kick the basket?"
"Oh yes, father; and Michael knows he did."
"That's right enough, sir; but I didn't mean to let the brute out."
"No, no, of course not," said Mr. Kenyon anxiously: "but if the
serpent was in that basket a short time ago and is gone now, it must
either be in one of the rooms here by the verandah or just beneath the
house."
"Ow!" ejaculated Mike, with a look of horror, as he glanced round; and
then he shouted as he pointed to an opening in one corner of the
verandah, where a great bamboo had been shortened for the purpose of
ventilating the woodwork beneath the bungalow, "That's the way he has
gone, sir; that's the way he has gone."
It seemed only too probable, for it was just the kind of place in
which a fugitive, gloom-loving reptile would seek for a hiding-place;
while as if to prove the truth of Mike's guess there was a sharp,
squeaking sound heard somewhere below the house, and one after the
other three rats dashed out of the opening, darted across the
verandah, and sprang into the garden, disappearing directly amongst
the plants.
"Yes," said Mr. Kenyon; "the reptile seems to have gone under the
house."
"And he will clear away all the rats, Sahib," said Sree, in a tone of
voice which seemed to add, "and what could you wish for better than
that?"
"But I think that my son and I would rather have the rats, my man.
What do you say, Hal?"
"Yes, father; of course. We can't live here with a horrible thing like
that always lying in wait for us. How long did you say it was, Sree?"
"Two men and a half, Sahib."
"And that's a man and a half too long, Sree. What's to be done?"
Sree looked disconsolately at the merchant, and slowly rubbed his
blacking-brush-like hair.
"The Sahib told me to bring everything I could find in the jungle, and
this was a lovely snake, all yellow and brown and purple like
tortoiseshell. The Sahib would have been so pleased."
"No doubt, if I could have got it shut up safely in some kind of cage;
but you see you have let it go."
"If the Sahib will pardon me," said the man humbly.
"Of course; yes, it was not your fault, but Michael's. Well, Michael,
how are you going to catch this great snake?"
"Me catch it, sir?" said Mike mildly.
"Yes, of course; we can't leave it at liberty here."
"I thought perhaps you would shoot at it, sir, or Master Harry would
have a pop at it with his gun."
"That's all very well, Mike; but it's of no use to shoot till you can
see it," cried Harry.
"How can we drive it out, Sree?" said Mr. Kenyon. "We must get rid of
it somehow."
Sree shook his head.
"I'm afraid it will go to sleep now, Sahib," he said.
"For how long?"
"Three weeks or a month, Sahib. Until it gets hungry again."
"Why not get guns and two of us stand near here to see if it comes out
of this hole, while the others go from room to room hammering on the
floor?"
"That sounds well," said the merchant.
"And it would be good to try first if a cat would go down. Snakes do
not like cats or the mongoose, and the cat might drive it out. Cats
hate snakes."
"That sounds like a good plan, too, Sree. Suppose we try that first.
We have a cat, but what about a mongoose? Have you got one?"
"I had one when I was in Hindooland, Sahib, but perhaps it is dead
now."
"If not, it's of no use to us now," said Mr. Kenyon sarcastically.
"Here, Hal, go in and get the two guns hanging in my room. Bring the
powder-flasks and pouches too. Be careful, my lad; the guns are
loaded."
"Come along, Phra," said Harry.
"No, I am going back for my gun."
"I meant to lend you one of mine," said the merchant quietly. "You two
lads ought to be able to shoot that reptile if we succeed in driving
it out."
"Ah!" cried the young Siamese eagerly. "Thank you."
He looked gratefully at Mr. Kenyon, and then followed Harry into the
bungalow.
"This is a nice job," said the latter. "We shall never drive the brute
out. This place was built as if they wanted to make a snug,
comfortable home for a boa constrictor. There are double floors,
double ceilings, and double walls. There's every convenience for the
brute, whether he wants to stay a week or a year."
"Never mind; it will be good fun hunting him. Where are the guns?"
"Here, in father's room," said the boy, leading the way into the
lightly furnished bed-chamber with its matted floor and walls, bath,
and couch well draped with mosquito net.
One side was turned into quite a little armoury, guns and swords being
hung against the wall, while pouches, shot-belts, and powder-flasks
had places to themselves.
"Take care," said Harry, as he took down and handed a gun to his
companion, who smiled and nodded.
"Yes," he said; "but it isn't the first time I've had hold of a gun."
"Well, I know that, Phra. You needn't turn rusty about it. I only said
so because it comes natural to warn any one to be careful."
"Hist! Listen," said the Prince, holding up his hand.
Harry had heard the sound at the same moment. It was a strange,
rustling, creeping sound, as of horny scales passing over wood in the
wall to their right.
A look of intelligence passed between the boys, and they stood
listening for a few moments, which were quite sufficient to satisfy
them that the object of their visit within was gliding slowly up
between the bamboos of the open wall, probably to reach the
palm-thatched roof.
But it was not to do so without hindrance, for after darting another
look at his companion Phra cocked his gun, walked close to the wall,
and after listening again and again he placed the muzzle of his piece
about six inches from the thin teak matting-covered boarding, and
fired.
The result was immediate. Whether hit or only startled by the shot,
the reptile fell with a loud thud and there was the evident sound of
writhing and twisting about.
"Well done, Phra! You've shot him!" cried Harry; "but if he dies there
we shall have to take the floor up to get him out."
"What is it, boys? Have you seen the snake?"
"No, sir. I heard it in the wall, and fired."
"Yes, and you have hit it, too," said the merchant. "Listen."
The boys were quite ready to obey, and all stood attentively trying to
analyse the meaning of the movements below the floor.
It proved to be easy enough, for the violent writhings ceased, and the
serpent began to ascend the side of the room again in the hollow wall.
They went on tip-toe to the spot they had marked down, and as soon as
they were still again they could hear the faint _crick, crick, crick_
of the scales on the wood, as the serpent crawled from beneath the
floor and extended itself more and more up the side, so that it was
plain enough to trace the length upward, till evidently a good six
feet had been reached.
"My turn now," said Harry, cocking his piece. "Shall I fire father?"
"No; it would only bring it down again, and if it dies beneath the
floor or in the wall it will be a great nuisance to get it out. It
will mean picking the place to pieces."
"Let it go on up into the roof, then."
"Yes," said Mr. Kenyon; "if it gets up there it will be sure to
descend to the eaves, and if we keep a pretty good watch we shall see
it coming down slowly, and you will both get a good shot at it."
They stood listening for a few minutes longer, and then the _crick,
crick_ in the wall ceased, and it was evident that a long and heavy
body was gliding along over the ceiling.
"Now then, boys, out with you, and I think I'll bring a gun too; but
you shall have the honour of shooting the brute if you can. By the
way, I don't think Sree has exaggerated as to the reptile's length,
and I shall be glad to get rid of such a neighbour."
"It's not moving now," said Harry, in a whisper.
"Yes, I can hear it," said Phra, whose ears were preternaturally
sharp; "it's creeping towards where it can see the light shine
through, and it will come out right on the roof."
The little party hurried out to where Mike and the three Siamese were
anxiously watching the hole in the corner of the verandah, the three
latter armed with bamboo poles, and their long knives in their
waist-folds, while Mike had furnished himself with a rusty old cavalry
sword which he had bought in London, and brought with him because he
thought it might some day prove to be useful.
Their watching in the verandah came to an end on the appearance of the
little party, and they were posted ready to rush in to the attack of
the reptile if it should be shot and come wriggling down off the attap
thatch.
But for some minutes after the whole party had commenced their
watching there was no sign of the escaped prize, not the faintest
rustle or crackle of the crisp, sun-dried roof.
Phra began to grow impatient at having to stand in the hot sun holding
a heavy gun ready for firing, and Harry was little better, for the
effort of watching in the dazzling glare affected his eyes.
"Can't you send somebody inside to bang the ceiling with a stick, Mr.
Kenyon?" said Phra at last.
"Yes," said that gentleman. "This is getting rather weary work. Here,
Mike, go indoors and listen till you hear the snake rustling over the
ceiling of my room, and then thump loudly with a bamboo."
"Yes, sir," said Mike promptly, and he took two steps towards the
house, and then stopped and coughed.
"Well, what is it?" said Mr. Kenyon.
"I beg pardon, sir; but suppose the beast has taken fright at seeing
you all waiting for him, and got into the house to hide."
"Yes?" said Mr. Kenyon.
"And is scrawming about all over the floor. What shall I do then?"
"Don't lose a chance; hit it over the head or tail with all your
might."
Mike looked warmer than ever, and began to wipe the great drops of
perspiration off his forehead.
"Yes, sir," he said respectfully.
"We must not stop to be nice now, for it seems to be hopeless to think
of capturing the reptile again, and I can't have such a brute as that
haunting the place."
"No, sir, of course not," said Mike.
"Well go on," said Mr. Kenyon sharply. "You are not afraid, are you?"
"Oh no, sir, not a bit; but--"
Mr. Kenyon shrugged his shoulders and strode into the house, while the
two lads burst out laughing.
"I say, Mike, you are a brave one!" cried Harry.
"Now, look here," cried the man, "don't you go making the same mistake
as the master. I'm not a bit afraid."
"Ha, ha, ha!" laughed Phra.
"No, sir," said the man angrily; "not a bit afraid; but I've got a
mother in England, and I don't like to be rash."
"You never are, Mike."
"No, sir, and I won't be. I'm sure every one ought to look before he
leaps when it's over a dangerous place, and--Ah! look out; here he
comes."
There was a yell, too, from Sree and his two men, who dashed forward
together, as all at once the great serpent seemed to dart suddenly
from under a fold of the palm-leaf thatch, make an effort to glide
along the slope from the neighbourhood of those who were waiting for
it, and then failing from the steepness of the incline, rolled over
and over, writhing and twining, towards the edge where the bamboo
supports formed the pillars of the verandah.
"Here, hi! stop!" roared the boys; but it was all in vain, for the
excited Siamese men were deaf to everything save their own impulses,
which prompted them to recover the escaped prize, and obtain their
promised reward.
"Here, I don't want to shoot one of them," cried Phra, stamping in his
disappointment.
"No, no, don't fire," cried Harry, throwing up his gun. "Here, hi,
Mike! Now's your time; go and help. Lay hold of his tail, but don't be
rash."
For the serpent had rapidly reached the edge of the thatch and fallen
into one of the flower beds with a heavy thud which proclaimed its
weight. But the next minute that was a flower bed no longer.
The serpent began the work of destruction by struggling violently as
it drew itself up into a knot, and the three Siamese finished the
work. They seemed to have not the slightest fear of the great
glistening creature whose scales shone in the sun, but dashed at it to
try and pinion it down to the ground.
There was a furious hissing, mingled with loud shouts, panting,
rustling, and the sound of heavy blows delivered on the earth and the
bamboo flooring of the verandah, as the serpent freed its tail and
lashed about furiously. Then there was a confused knot composed of
reptile and men, rolling over, heaving and straining, and a gaily
coloured sarong was thrown out, to fall a few yards away.
"Can't you get a shot at it, boys?" cried Mr. Kenyon, as he rushed
out.
"Impossible, father."
"Yes, impossible," repeated Mr. Kenyon.
"What fun!" cried Phra excitedly. "They want to catch him alive. Look,
Hal, look."
Harry was doing nothing else, and forgetful of all his repugnance he
approached so near the struggling knot that he had a narrow escape
from a heavy flogging blow delivered by the serpent's tail, one which
indented the soft earth with a furrow.
"Ugh! you beast!" cried Harry, kicking at one of the reptile's folds,
which just then offered itself temptingly; but before the boy's foot
could reach it the fold was a yard away and the struggle going on more
fiercely than ever.
It was the fight of three stout, strong men against that elongated,
tapering mass of bone and muscle, with fierce jaws at one end, a
thick, whip-like portion at the other, and the men seemed to be
comparatively helpless, being thrown here and there in spite of the
brave way in which they clung to the writhing form. The end soon
arrived, for the reptile made one tremendous effort to escape,
wrenched itself free enough to throw a couple of folds of its tail
round the thick bamboo pillar which supported the roof, took advantage
of the purchase afforded, and threw off its three adversaries, to
cling there with half its body undulating and quivering in the air,
its head with its eyes glittering fiercely, and its forked tongue
darting in and out, menacing its enemies and preparing to strike.
The men were up again in an instant, ready to resume the attack, Sree
giving his orders in their native tongue.
"I'll get hold of his neck," he panted, "and you two catch his tail.
Keep him tight to the bamboo, and I'll hold his head close up and ask
the master to tie it to the upright."
"Stand back, all of you!" cried Mr. Kenyon. "Now, boys, get into the
verandah and fire outward. You have a fine chance."
"No, no, Sahib," cried the hunter imploringly. "The snake is nearly
tired out now, and in another minute we shall have caught it fast."
"Nonsense," cried Mr. Kenyon; "it is far too strong for you. You are
all hurt now."
"A few scratches only, Sahib, and we could not bear to see so fine a
snake, which the master would love to have, killed like that."
"Thinking of reward, Sree?" said the merchant, smiling.
Harry whispered something to Phra, who nodded.
"Let them have another try, father," cried the boy. "Phra and I don't
mind missing a shot apiece."
"Very well," said Mr. Kenyon, and turning to the men--"Take it alive,
then, if you can."
From wearing a dull, heavy look of disappointment the faces of the
Siamese were all smiles once more, and they prepared to rush in at
their enemy on receiving a word from Sree, who now advanced with one
of the bamboo poles he had picked up, and held out the end toward the
quivering, menacing head of the snake.
The latter accepted the challenge directly and struck at the end of
the thick pole, its jaws opening and closing, and the dart of the
drawn-back head being quicker than the eye could follow.
Sree was as quick, though. The slightest movement of the wrist threw
the end of the pole aside, and the serpent missed it three times
running. After that it refused to strike, but drew back its head and
swung it from side to side till it was teased into striking once more.
This time there was a sharp jar of the bamboo, as the reptile's teeth
closed upon the wood, and the pole was nearly jerked out of the man's
hands. But he held on firmly without displaying the slightest fear,
swaying to and fro as the reptile dragged and gave.
"Better kill it at once, Sree," cried Mr. Kenyon.
"Pray no, Sahib. He is very strong, but we shall tire him out. I am
going to have his neck bound to the great bamboo pillar with a
sarong."
"My good fellow," cried the merchant, "if you do it will drag the
pillar down."
"And pull half the roof off," said Phra. "Yes, they are very strong,
these big serpents."
"I'm afraid he would, Sahib," said the hunter mildly. "Now, if I had
time I could go into the jungle and get leaves to pound up and give
him, and he would be asleep so that we could put him in the basket."
"Well, hadn't you better go and fetch some?" cried Harry
mischievously. "Here, Mike, come and hold this bamboo while Sree
goes."
There was a burst of laughter at this, in which the Siamese joined,
for Mike's features were for a moment convulsed with horror; the next
he grasped the fact that a joke was being made at his expense, and
stood shaking his head and pretending to be amused.
"We had better have a shot, my lads," said Mr. Kenyon. "It is too
unmanageable a specimen to keep, and I shall be quite content with the
skin."
"Let them have another try, Mr. Kenyon," said Phra eagerly. "It is
grand to see them fight. Perhaps they will win this time."
"Very well," said Mr. Kenyon, smiling.
"Go and help them, Phra," said Harry, laughing.
"It's so hot," said the young Siamese, "and one would be knocked about
so, and have all one's clothes torn off. Besides, you can't take hold,
only by clinging round it with your arms, and snakes are not nice. But
I will, if you will."
"All right," said Harry; "only let's have the tail."
Mike looked at the boys in horror, as if he thought they had gone mad.
But at that moment Sree gave a sign to his two followers, after
finding that the reptile was so much exhausted that he could force its
head in any direction, for it still held on tightly with its teeth.
There was a rush, and the two men seized the creature's tail and began
to unwind it from the pillar by walking round and round.
"Hurrah! they've mastered it," cried Harry, and they drew back as the
last fold was untwined from the pillar, Mike drawing much farther back
than any one else, so as to give plenty of room.
But the tight clasp of the teeth-armed jaws did not relax in the
slightest degree, and the next minute, by the efforts of the three
men, the creature was half dragged, half carried out into the open
garden, limp apparently and completely worn out.
"Why, they'll manage it yet, father," cried Harry. "Here, Mike, bring
that basket out here."
"Yes," cried Mr. Kenyon, "quick!"
Mike looked horrified, but he felt compelled to obey, and, hurrying
into the verandah, he was half-way to the men with the basket, when he
uttered a yell, dropped it, and darted back.
"It was frightened of Mike," said Phra afterwards.
Frightened or no, all at once when its captors were quite off their
guard, the serpent suddenly brought its tremendous muscles into full
play, contracted itself with a sudden snatch as if about to tie itself
in a knot, and before the men could seize it again, for it was quite
free, it went down the garden at a tremendous rate, making at first
for the river, then turning off towards the jungle.
The men, as they recovered from their astonishment, darted in pursuit,
but stopped short, for Mr. Kenyon's gun rang out with a loud report,
making the serpent start violently, but without checking its course,
and it was half out of sight among the low-growing bushes when, in
rapid succession, Phra and Harry fired, with the effect of making the
reptile draw itself into a knot again, roll, and twine right back into
the garden, give a few convulsive throes, and then slowly straighten
itself out at full length and lie heaving gently, as a slight quiver
ran from head to tail.
The boys cheered, and after reloading in the slow, old-fashioned way
of fifty years ago, went close up to the reptile.
"Shall I give him another shot in the head, Mr. Kenyon?" cried Phra.
"No, no, my lad; it would be only waste of powder and shot. The brute
is beyond the reach of pain now. Well, Hal, how long do you make it?"
he cried, as that young gentleman finished pacing the ground close up
to the great reptile.
"Five of my steps," said Harry; "and he's as thick round as I can
span--a little thicker. I say, isn't he beautifully marked, father?"
"Splendidly, my boy."
"But who'd have thought a thing like that could be so strong?"
"They are wonderfully powerful," said Mr. Kenyon. "It is a splendid
specimen, Sree," he continued to that personage, who, with his
companions--all three looking sullen and out of heart--was rearranging
dragged-off or discarded loin-cloths, and looking dirty, torn, and in
one or two places bleeding, from the reptile's teeth.
"Yes, Sahib," said the man sadly; "he would have been a prize, and I
should have been proud, and the Sahib would have been grateful in the
way he always is to his servants."
"Oh, I see," said Harry, who whispered to his father and then to Phra,
both nodding.
"I could not have kept such a monster as that alive, Sree," said the
merchant; "but you men behaved splendidly. You were brave to a degree,
and of course I shall pay you as much or more than I should have given
you if it had been prisoned alive."
"Oh, Sahib!" cried the man, whose face became transformed, his eyes
brightened, and with a look of delight he brought a smile to his lips.
Turning quickly to his two men, he whispered to them in their own
tongue, and the change was magical. They uttered a shout of joy, threw
themselves on their knees, raised their hands to the sides of their
heads, and shuffled along towards the master.
"That will do, Sree," cried Mr. Kenyon impatiently; "make them get up.
You know I do not like to be treated like that."
"Yes, Sahib; I know," said the hunter, and at a word the two men
started up, beaming and grinning at the two lads.
"Brave boys," said Phra, speaking in his own tongue; and, thrusting
his hand in his pocket, he brought out and gave each of the men one of
the silver coins of the country.
The next moment all three were grovelling on the earth before their
young Prince.
He waved his hand and they rose.
"I don't much like it now, Hal," said Phra apologetically; "but it is
the custom, you know. I like to be English, though, when I am with
you."
"Oh, it's all right," said Harry; "but you do improve wonderfully,
lad. You'll be quite an English gentleman some day. I say, father,
give me some silver; I want to do as Phra did."
Mr. Kenyon smiled and handed his son some money, nodding his
satisfaction as he saw him give each of the Siamese a coin, and check
them when they were about to prostrate themselves.
"No, no," he shouted; "be English. Pull your blacking-brushes--so."
The men grinned, and gave a tug at what would have been their
forelocks if they had not been cropped short.
"Skin the snake very carefully, Sree," said Mr. Kenyon quietly, after
liberally rewarding the men, whose gloom gave place to the exuberance
of satisfaction.
"Yes, Sahib; there shall not be a tear in the skin," cried the old
hunter eagerly.
"Where shall they do it, father?" said Harry. "It will make such a
mess here."
"Let them drag it down to the landing-stage, my boy, and they can
sluice the bamboo flooring afterwards, and then peg out the skin to
dry on the side. You will stay and see it done?"
"Yes, father," replied the boy, and he turned to Phra.
"Will you stop?"
"Of course. I came to stay," was the reply; "didn't you see that I
sent the boatmen back?"