He shrugged his shoulders.
“There you have me,” he answered. “I’m sure I don’t know. The word generally speaks for itself to all but the ignorant.”
“Then you cannot defend him on the strength of it?”
“No; he is clever enough to defend himself, I hope. You are wearing a very pretty and uncommon ornament, Miss Paleaf.”
“It is not an ornament. It is alive, and one of my dearest friends.”
“Such a friend is rather questionable on Lucifram.”
“Why?”
“The Serpent has a weakness for frogs. In a natural state they form part of its food.”
“My friend has powers of self-defence as well as yours.”
“The Serpent has a very big mouth.”