Joe gave a few jerks, and at the last something fell with a light plip in amongst the leaves at their feet.
“Ah!” ejaculated their guide; and, bending down, he pressed the leaves aside with the point of his knife till he saw the object which had fallen, and carefully took it up with his left finger and thumb to hold out before the others the head and about an inch or so of the little snake—one much thinner, but otherwise about the size of an English adder.
“Horrid-looking little thing,” said Rob carelessly; “but I don’t think it’s poisonous.”
Shaddy gave a grunt, and holding the neck tightly, he thrust the point of his knife in between the reptile’s jaws, opened them, and then shifting his fingers to the angle, he held the snake’s head upside down, and with the point of the blade raised from where they lay back on the roof of the mouth, close to the nose, two tiny glass-like teeth, the creature’s fangs, which could be held back or erected at its pleasure.
“Not much doubt about them, sir,” said Shaddy.
“Not the slightest,” replied Brazier, frowning. “We’ve both had narrow escapes, Rob.”
“You have, sir, and all for want of knowing better, if you’ll excuse me. What you’ve got to do is to look upon everything as dangerous till you’ve found out as it’s safe. And that you must do, please, for I can’t help you here. If it’s a clawing from a lion or tiger, or a dig from a deer’s horn, or a bite of ’gator, or a broken limb, or spear wound, or even a bullet-hole, I’m all there. I’ll undertake to pull you through a bit of fever too, or any or’nary complaint, and all without pretending to be a doctor. But as to fighting against snake poison, I’m just like a baby. I couldn’t help you a bit, so don’t get running your hands among the things anywhere. They’ll get out of your way fast enough if you give them a chance; so just help me by minding that.”
One of the boatmen came up and said something in a sour way to the speaker, who added,—
“They’ve skinned the tiger, and want to know what to do with the carkidge, sir. Come along with me, and I’ll show you something else.”
“No, no: stop a moment. Look here!” cried Joe.