“Yes, ready,” was the response; and they all stepped up on deck to go cautiously forward with their pieces at full cock to where the noise and confusion were still going on.
“Hi! Look out!” cried Oliver, as they advanced, and, raising his piece, he fired at something shadowy which he made out by the light of the stars gliding slowly along beneath the bulwarks.
The gun flashed, and the report was followed by a loud hissing, and a violent blow, as if some enormous whip had been lashed at the three, who were thrown to the deck, their legs being swept from under them.
“Hi!—this way,” cried the mate from forward. “We’ve got him here.”
They sprang up and hurried forward, Oliver recharging his piece with a fresh cartridge as they went, but only in time to hear another report, for the mate fired, and the men uttered a shout as a more violent scuffling noise arose.
“That’s settled him,” cried the mate. “Here, get the lanterns down; we’ll soon have him out of that. Big one, isn’t he?”
This to Oliver, who looked down at the deck to see, heaving and throbbing as if there were plenty of life in it still, about seven or eight feet of the tail part of a great serpent, the rest of the reptile being down in the forecastle, into which it was making its way when the mate gave it a shot.
“Yes, the brute!” cried Oliver excitedly. “It woke me by crawling into my berth.”
“Well, he won’t do that again. Smith had a cut at him with an axe, and I a shot. Now, then, lay hold, some of you, and let’s haul the beggar out.”
The men hesitated, but the mate ejaculated and seized the tail, which immediately twitched and threw him off, making everyone laugh.