“Both bits, sir?” asked Smith eagerly.
“Both nonsense, my man: both serpents! There were two. Here they are, pretty well dead now.”
Oliver forgot all about the sickening blow he had received, and his narrow escape, in his eagerness to examine the reptiles which had caused so much alarm, and his first steps were to ask the men to put a noose around each, and draw them out into the open.
There was a little hesitation, but the men obeyed, and the two long tapering creatures were soon after lying in the sun.
“Hadn’t you better come and lie down for a bit?” said the mate.
“Oh, nonsense!” cried Oliver good-humouredly. “Just for a crack on the head? I’m right enough, and I want to take the measurement of these things before they are skinned.”
“As you like,” said the mate. “Then we may go back.”
“That looks as if I were very ungrateful,” cried Oliver, “and I’m not, Mr Rimmer, believe me.”
“Believe you? Why, of course I do, my lad,” cried the mate, clapping him warmly on the shoulder.
“And you don’t want me to lie up for a thing like that, do you?”