und with a
fascination greater even than that wicked, vibrating thing that coiled,
black and evil, on the white of Tessa's frock could command. She knew
that if none intervened, Peter would accomplish Tessa's deliverance.

But there was one factor which they had all forgotten. In those tense
seconds Scooter the mongoose by some means invisible became aware of the
presence of the enemy. The lid of his box had already been loosened by
Peter. With a frantic effort he forced it up and leapt free.

In that moment Peter, realizing that another instant's delay might be
fatal, pounced forward with a single swift swoop and seized the
serpent-in his naked hands.

Tessa uttered the shriek which a few seconds before sheer horror had
arrested, and fell back senseless in her chair.

Peter, grim and awful in the uncertain light, fought the thing he had
gripped, while a small, red-eyed monster clawed its way up him, fiercely
clambering to reach the horrible, writhing creature in the man's hold.

It was all over in a few hard-breathing seconds, over before either of
the men in front of Peter or a shadowy figure behind him that had come
up at Tessa's cry could give any help.

With a low laugh that was more terrible than any uttered curse, Peter
flung the coiling horror over the verandah-rail into the bushes of the
compound. Something else went with it, closely locked. They heard the
thud of the fall, and there followed an awful, voiceless struggling in
the darkness.

"Peter!" a voice said.

Peter was leaning against a post of the verandah. "Missy _sahib_ is
quite safe," he said, but his voice sounded odd, curiously lifeless.

The shadow that had approached behind him swept forward into the light.
The lanterns shone upon a strange figure, bent, black-bearded, clothed
in a long, dingy garment that seemed to envelop it from head to foot.

Peter gave a violent start and spoke a few rapid words in his own
language.

The other made answer even more swiftly, and in a second there was the
flash of a knife in the fitful glare. Bernard and Tommy both started
forward, but Peter only thrust out one arm with a grunt. It was a
gesture of submission, and it told its own tale.

"The poor devil's bitten!" gasped Tommy.

Bernard turned to Tessa and lifted the little limp body in his arms.

He thought that Stella would follow him as he bore the child into the
room behind, but she did not.

The place was in semi-darkness, for they had turn