ly, Hans was
accustomed to the work, and knew the way that the natives of the country
set about it; the American Seth knew nothing about it, but he was always
willing to turn his hand to anything. First, a piece of ground was
cleared of grass, and was levelled for the reception of the bricks when
made; then some planks were knocked together so as to form a rough
table. Two brick moulds were made, these being larger than those used in
England. A piece of ground was chosen near. The turf was taken off, the
soil was dug up, and the peons drove the bullocks round and round upon
it, trampling it into a thick mud, some water being thrown in when
necessary.

As it was sufficiently trampled, Terence carried it in a trough and
emptied it on to the table close by, where Hans and Seth fashioned it in
the moulds, turning the bricks out on to a plank a foot wide and six
feet long. When this was full, the boys took each an end and carried it
off to the prepared ground, where they carefully removed the bricks with
two little slabs of wood, and placed them on the ground to dry,
returning with the empty plank to find another one filled for them. It
was hard work for all, and from eleven until three the heat was too
great to allow them to work at it; but they began with daylight, and
taking a nap during the heat of the day, were ready to work on again as
long as it was light.

The bricks were, of course, to be dried by the sun, as fuel was too
scarce for them to think of burning them; but this was of little
consequence, especially as they were to be used indoors, the heat of the
sun being quite sufficient to make very fair bricks without the use of
fire.

By the afternoon of the fifth day they had made a quantity of bricks
which would, they calculated, be ample for the construction of the
partition walls of their house.

The boys had just deposited the last brick upon the drying ground, and
were moving away, when Hubert cried, 'Stop, Charley, don't move a step.'

Started by the suddenness and sharpness of the cry, Charley stood
without moving, and was surprised to see his brother pick up one of the
wet bricks in both hands, and dash it upon the ground immediately in
front of where they were walking.

'I've killed him!' Hubert cried triumphantly; and Charley, looking down,
saw a snake of about three feet long writhing in the grass, his head
being completely driven into the ground under the force of the lump of
wet clay. Two or thr