"That's your style, Master George. Now then, stick it across my mouth,
and then take hold just under my hands. You must press it down hard, or
he'll heave himself out, for he's mighty strong, I can tell you. Got
hold?"
"Yes," I said, as I took hold of the pole, keeping my feet as far away
as I could from the writhing knot, for fear it should suddenly untwine
and embrace my legs.
"That's right, press down hard. Think you can hold him?"
"I don't know; I think so."
"Now, look ye here, my lad, thinking won't do; you've got to hold him,
and if you feel as you can't you must say so. Rattlesnakes arn't garden
wums."
"I'll try, and I will hold it," I said.
"There you have it, then," he said, releasing the pole, and leaving it
quivering and vibrating in my hands. "Now then, I'm going to wait till
he untwines again, and then I'm going to have off his head, if he don't
work it out before. If he do, you've got to run as hard as you can:
jump right away, my lad, never mind me."
I nodded; I could not speak, and I stood holding down the pole, seeing
the snake striving to draw its head back between the little prongs of
the fork, and knowing that if it did our position would be terrible.
"Now then, hold him tight," cried Morgan; "I'm going to lay hold and
draw him out a bit, so as to get a cut through somewhere."
I did not speak, but pressed down with all my might, feeling my eyes
strained as, with a shudder of dread, I saw Morgan stoop and boldly
seize hold of the snake.
But the touch only seemed to make the great living knot tighten, and
after a try Morgan ceased.
"No," he said, "it won't do. I shall only drag him out, for I'm not at
all sure about those nails. I say, my lad, I really do wish we had let
him alone, or had a go at him with a gun."
I tried to answer, but no words would come, and I wanted to look
hopelessly at Morgan, but I could not take my eyes off the great, grey,
writhing knot which was always in motion, heaving and working, now
loosening, now tightening up.
"Hah!" cried Morgan, suddenly, as once more the horrible creature threw
itself out to full length, and he sprang forward to seize the neck just
as a wave ran along the body from tail to head; and as I pressed the
pole down hard, the head rose like lightning, struck Morgan right in the
face, and I saw him fall backward, rolling over and over; while, after
writhing on the ground a moment or two, the snake raised its bleeding
head, and I saw that it was drawing back to strike.
I don't know how it happened exactly; I only can tell that I felt
horribly frightened, starting back as Morgan fell over, and that then,
as the snake was preparing to strike, being naturally slow and weak from
its efforts, the pole I held in both hands came down heavily, and then
again and again, till our enemy lay broken and twisting weakly, its back
broken in two places, and the blood flowing from its mouth.