“I’m sure I saw something moving,” cried Ned indignantly.
“Where is it, then? It’s clear enough to see now.”
“Gone down into a hole, perhaps.”
“Or crawled down its own throat perhaps.”
“I know,” said Chris merrily; “Ned never misses anything. The poor brute has swallowed its own tail, formed itself into a ring, and bowled out like a hoop.”
“Of course,” cried Ned, raising his piece to his shoulder, as the light now penetrated well into one of the opposite corners, and without a word of warning he fired again.
“What did you do that for?” cried Chris excitedly.
“To put that reptile out of its misery,” said Ned.
“To fill the place with smoke again,” cried Chris indignantly. “It’s all fancy.”
“Precious noisy fancy,” said Griggs dryly. “My word, he must be a thumper! Talk about smoke, he is kicking up a dust.”