"No, it is not; when you see me use it, you will know what it is for. You must wait till that time before you know," replied Louis, who appeared to have finished the implement just as the other brought his gun to his shoulder.
"That's the handsomest schnake I iver saw since me modther, long life to her, left ould Ireland before I was bahrn."
"Don't shoot him, Flix!" protested Louis vigorously. "Where is he?"
"Jist forninst the bow of the boat. Sure, Oi'm the schnake-killer of the party, and he's moi game."
"I don't want him killed yet," replied Louis, as he moved forward from the waist with the forked stick in his hand. "He is handsome, as you say, Flix."
Creeping very cautiously till he could see over the bow, he discovered the serpent, which was nearly six feet long, working slowly down a dead log towards the water. Springing to his feet on the bow, he struck down with his weapon, directing the fork at the neck of the reptile. The outside of the log was nothing but punk, or the operation would have been a failure. As it was, the two points of the implement sunk into the wood, and the snake was pinned in the opening at the end of the stick.
"What have you got there, Mr. Belgrave?" asked Achang, hurrying to the side of the operator.
"A snake; do you know him?" demanded Louis, as the reptile struggled to escape.
"I saw one like it years ago;" and he gave a long Dyak name to it which the others did not understand. "Wait a minute or two, and I will bring him on board for you."