As soon as Bob Roberts returned with the ammonia, and realised what was wrong, he pulled out his pocket-knife, placed his foot on the reptile’s neck, as it still writhed feebly, and cut off its head.
He had hardly completed his task though, before he was summoned by the doctor to assist him. Here, however, he was forestalled by Miss Linton, who, ignoring the request to go, had in the most business-like way helped to lower the fainting man upon the deck, and supported his head while the stimulant was administered.
“Pray go away, Miss Linton,” exclaimed Doctor Bolter then; “this is only a task for a trained nurse.”
“I am a trained nurse,” said Rachel Linton, quietly; and drawing a cushion from a chair, she placed it on the deck, lowered the injured man’s head upon it, and then, seeing the doctor’s intention, held the patient’s arm while he freely used a lancet about the tiny marks made by the serpent’s teeth, and rubbed in the ammonia.
Captain Smithers meanwhile had not spoken, but stood watching Miss Linton, with a strange look upon his countenance, shuddering, though, once or twice, as he saw the ghastly face of the injured man, and his fixed half-closed eyes.
“What can I do next, doctor?” said Miss Linton, in a quiet, eager voice.
“Nothing at present, my dear young lady,” he said, looking at her admiringly. “Why, what a brave-hearted girl you are!”
“Brave?” she said. “What, to do this for one who saved me perhaps from death? But tell me, doctor, will he live?”
“I don’t know; I hope so; it is impossible to say. It is such a rare thing for a man to be bitten by one of these creatures. I never had such a case before, and I ought to have known better; but I did not know it was a dangerous species of snake.”
He held the soldier’s pulse as he spoke, and then frowned, and mixing more ammonia and water, raised the poor fellow’s head, and poured the liquid between his half-clenched teeth.