s the Captain. 'We won't argue none about the price,
for if you'll come down and take him away you can have him for nothing.'
That made Merritt a little suspicious and he asked the Captain if it
were his ship.

"'I reckoned it was until two days ago, when that blame snake broke
loose,' he answered irritably. 'Since then he seems to own it and not a
man jack of the crew will go below. I've tried to shoot him, but the
beggar's too quick, and I want to discharge my cargo, so if you ain't
afraid to tackle him, come on.'

"'Me afraid! Me?' says Merritt throwing out a chest. 'Why, man alive,
I'm the only living snake charmer who ever dared handle the dangerous
Two-horned Rhinoceros Serpent, and do you think I'd weaken before a
common Borneo python?'

"'I dunno whether you will or not until I see you try,' says the
Captain. 'I've handled a Malay crew, which is worse than serpents, and
I've mixed it up with most of the scum that sails the seven seas, but
this blame snake's got me bluffed all right. He's three fathom long, as
big around as the mainmast, and made up principally of muscle and
wickedness.'

"'Just watch me. Watch me!' says Merritt. 'I'll use my wonderful
hypnotic power and you'll see the serpent crawl into the bag at my
command, to be easily transported to this moral and elevating show for
exhibition as an example of the power of mind over matter.'

"'All right, professor,' says the Captain. 'But if you'll take my advice
you'll stow those shore-going togs and get into working rig before you
tackle him.' Merritt was arrayed in all his finery, and if you'd ever
seen him you'd know that that meant a lot, for when he was flush he
could make Solomon in all his glory, or any other swell dresser look
like a dirty deuce in a new deck. He had on a light suit with checks
which were so loud they drowned the music of the orchestra, and a shirt
which would make a summer sunset hide its head in disappointment. Patent
leather shoes with yellow tops and a white plug hat with a black band
around it completed his costume, except for a few specimens of yellow
diamonds which adorned his shirt front and cuffs.

"Merritt snorted contemptuously at the suggestion and we started for the
ship. When we got on board he made a little speech before he went into
the hold, telling the sailors about his wonderful hypnotic power and how
he would exercise it to charm the serpent which was preventing their
worthy Captain from reaping the rewar