“Capital,” said the skipper, as he examined the preparations. “Couldn’t be better, my man. Here, if there’s time you shall serve those other two rooms the same. Axes here, my lads. Cut down those bushes and pile them up under the windows. We mustn’t leave them there for cover.”
“Take care,” cried Fitz. “There’s a great snake in there. Here, Poole, let’s each take a joist and beat him out.”
“Hadn’t we better try a match, sir? Them there bushes are that ily evergreen stuff as’ll burn like fun.”
“Yes,” said the skipper. “We don’t want the stuff for protection, and the enemy might throw a light in and burn us out. But look here, Chips, are there any sparks inside there, likely to set the wood-work alight?”
“Nay, sir; it was all fluffy touch-and-go stuff. There’s nothing there now but smoke.”
The man moved as he spoke towards the clump of ornamental shrubs in which the big snake had taken sanctuary, the two lads, each armed with a joist carried lance-fashion, following him up, while the skipper hurried into the building with one of the men, to satisfy himself that the carpenter’s words were correct.
The remainder stood by to watch the firing of the clump of bushes, the news that they hid a serpent putting all upon the qui vive.
“Take care Chips,” said Poole anxiously. “They are dangerous, treacherous things. We don’t want to get you bitten.”
“Of course you don’t, my lad; but tchah! They aren’t half so dangerous as I am with a box of matches in my hand. Here, wait a moment; which way’s the wind? Oh, this ’ere. Blest if I know whether it’s north south, or east west, for I’ve quite lost my bearings. Anyhow, it don’t blow towards the house. Now then, I think I’ll just have an armful of these ’ere plantain-leaves and them there bamboo. They’re the things to burn.”
He hastily collected as many dry great ragged banana-leaves as he could grasp, laid them in a heap to windward of the clump, and jumped back quickly, grinning hugely as he turned to the boys.