of their female attendants
caused them to glance hastily round. The sight which then met their
eyes was startling enough to make them spring instantly to their feet.
A snake fully seven feet long, and of the most deadly venomous kind
(which had evidently just dropped out of the thatch of the hut), had
flung its coils round the bare leg of one of the women, and, before help
could be rendered, had struck its fangs deep into the flesh. The cruel
heart-shaped head, with its wicked eyes glowing like a couple of
carbuncles, was already drawn back to repeat the stroke when Lethbridge
sprang forward, and, seizing a small pliant rattan which happened to be
handy at the moment, dealt the reptile a swift downward cut across the
body, dividing the creature almost in two; following up the blow by a
rapid dart of his hand, grasping the reptile by the neck and tearing the
quivering coils away from the wounded limb. Another second, and the
head was being fiercely ground into the dust under the thick solid
leather of his boot-heel, the wounded body twisting and writhing in the
most horrible contortions meanwhile.

Two out of Lethbridge's three companions stood helplessly aghast whilst
this tragedy was in progress; but the professor, ever alert in the
interests of science, promptly compelled the wounded girl to lie down,
and instantly applied his lips to the wound made by the poisonous fangs
of the snake, sucking vigorously until he had induced as copious a flow
of blood as could reasonably be expected from the two tiny punctures.
Then, fumbling in his waistcoat pocket, he drew forth a small stick of
lunar caustic (with which he had some time previously provided himself
in anticipation of possible snake-bites) and effectually cauterised the
wound. The result of which prompt treatment was that the girl, after
enduring some three hours' slight suffering and inconvenience from the
pain and subsequent swelling of the wound, recovered, and in a day or
two was as well again as ever.

This incident was, as might be expected, much talked about in the
village, and it very soon reached M'Bongwele's ears. That monarch
happened, just then, to be plunged into a state of serious domestic
affliction; and, inspired by the above occurrence with a brilliant idea,
he, after much painful cogitation, resolved to seek the aid of his
prisoners. Briefly stated, the difficulty was this. His youngest and
favourite wife had just added another to his alread