after the discharge of both barrels of
his piece, Morgan exclaimed:

"See that?"

"See it! I nearly felt it," cried the major, drawing back from the edge
of the disturbed pool, from which a good-sized crocodile, evidently
pressed by hunger, had charged out at his legs. "Did you hit him?"

"Yes, I must have hit him both times, for he swerved at the first shot,
and turned back at the second; but small-shot can't do much harm to one
of these scaly-hided ruffians."

"Well, I should like to kill that brute," said the major, looking
ruffled, and speaking as if he thought that a great insult had been
offered to an officer in Her Majesty's service. "Think it was the one
which laid hold of the dog?"

"How, how!" cried Bruff piteously, and then, trotting on three legs to
the water's edge, he began to bark furiously.

"Call him away," cried Morgan excitedly, cocking his gun and following
the dog; "that pool swarms with the beasts."

"Here, Bruff, Bruff, Bruff!" cried Mark.

But his cry would have been too late, even if the dog had obeyed, for at
that moment the water was parted and a hideous head with dull gleaming
eyes appeared, as one of the monsters made a rush at Bruff.

Morgan was ready for him, though, and quick as thought, from a distance
of not more than four yards, he poured the contents of his gun right in
the reptile's face, following it up with the second barrel.

To the delight of all, the monster gave a bound and made a clumsy leap
out on to the dry ground, where it lay beating the water with its tail,
giving it resounding blows, and only lying still to begin again.

"Shall I give him another shot?" said Gregory.

"No; half his skull is blown away," said the major. "Let him die."

"Put the game in the bag, sir?" said Billy respectfully.

"Ask Mr Morgan," said the major haughtily. "I did not fire the shot."

Small took out his great pocket-knife, and cut a rattan to a length of
about twenty feet, and after trimming off the leaves readily contrived a
running noose at the end, then cleverly contrived to noose one leg as
well. A sharp snatch drew the noose tight, and at the boatswain's
suggestion everyone took hold of the cane and the struggling reptile was
hauled right away from the water to die, proving a goodly weight though
it was not above nine feet long.

"There, Bruff, old man," said the boatswain, "suppose you give one of
his paws a nip to serve him out. It would be only fair. Shall I gi