gone over the precipice, so he had to
wait till the vapour had passed away, when, to his great disgust, he
could see nothing.

The gazelle and serpent were both gone; so he began to load again,
wishing he could take better aim, when he heard a shout, and Chicory
came running up, followed by Coffee.

"Boss Dick shoot um? Boss Dick shoot noder lion?" cried Chicory.

"No," said Dick; "it was a miss this time."

"No," cried Coffee; "I see um. Look, boss, look!"

Mr Rogers and Jack came hurrying up just then, and looking in the
direction pointed out, there was the serpent, writhing and twining in
the most horrible manner down in a narrow rift, out of which it now
glided in a blind purposeless way, writhing, whipping the herbage with
its tail, and tying itself in what seemed to be impossible knots.

"Coffee and Chick go and kill um," said the latter, letting himself down
the face of the precipice, followed by his brother; and, apparently
quite without dread of the monster, they scrambled down over the rough
stones till they came to the serpent, when, watching his opportunity,
Coffee seized its tail and tried to drag it, but the creature seemed to
whip him off, and Coffee uttered a yell as he was driven staggering
back.

"Go down, Dick, and try and give the monster another shot," said Mr
Rogers. "No, stop; I dare say the boys will finish it."

For just then, evidently enraged at the treatment his brother had
received, Chicory drove his assegai through the serpent, and then again
and again, the creature's struggles being blind of purpose, for its head
had been shattered by Dick's shot; while fiercely leaping up, Coffee
raised his own assegai, and holding it chopper fashion, he waited his
time till the serpent's head was handy, when he hewed it off.

The writhings now grew faint; and the General coming up, and descending
with Mr Rogers and his sons and the dogs, which kept making rushes at
the waving form and not biting it, the serpent was dragged out full
length and measured, Mr Rogers making seven fair paces by its side, and
setting it down at about eighteen feet in length.

"A nice monster to meet, Master Dick," he said. "I congratulate you
upon your success."

"Have it skinned, father," exclaimed Jack eagerly. "It would be such a
capital thing to have, stuffed and coiled up, at home."

Mr Rogers glanced at the great faintly-writhing monster, with its
tortoiseshell markings, and shook his head.

"No, my