"Just in time, mates! About another two minutes and he'll be done. Now then," the speaker added, "I don't want to spoil him," and raking out the heaving reptile, he forked it to the door and tossed it a few yards away into the clearing. "All together!" he shouted. "Fair play! Knives out. Who's for a cut of hot roast?" Chips's pantomime was at an end, for, rifle in hand, the skipper came running up. "What's the meaning of this?" he roared. "Why don't you put that fire out? Do you want to burn the place down? Who's been smoking here?" "It's all right, father. There were snakes under the floor, but Chips has burned them out." "Oh, that's it! Dangerous brutes! Here, Winks, how have you been getting on?" "Oh, tidy, sir, tidy," said the carpenter, wiping his smarting eyes as he tried to check a cough and made it worse. "You see, there was no stuff, and I had to tear up the floor." "Capital," said the skipper, as he examined the preparations. "Couldn't be better, my man. Here, if there's time you shall serve those other two rooms the same. Axes here, my lads. Cut down those bushes and pile them up under the windows. We mustn't leave them there for cover." "Take care," cried Fitz. "There's a great snake in there. Here, Poole, let's each take a joist and beat him out." "Hadn't we better try a match, sir? Them there bushes are that ily evergreen stuff as'll burn like fun." "Yes," said the skipper. "We don't want the stuff for protection, and the enemy might throw a light in and burn us out. But look here, Chips, are there any sparks inside there, likely to set the wood-work alight?" "Nay, sir; it was all fluffy touch-and-go stuff. There's nothing there now but smoke." The man moved as he spoke towards the clump of ornamental shrubs in which the big snake had taken sanctuary, the two lads, each armed with a joist carried lance-fashion, following him up, while the skipper hurried into the building with one of the men, to satisfy himself that the carpenter's words were correct. The remainder stood by to watch the firing of the clump of bushes, the news that they hid a serpent putting all upon the _qui vive_. "Take care Chips," said Poole anxiously. "They are dangerous, treacherous things. We don't want to get you bitten." "Of course you don't, my lad; but tchah! They aren't half so dangerous as I am with a box of matches in my hand. Here, wait a moment; which way's the wind? Oh, this 'ere. Blest if I know whether it's north south, or east west, for I've quite lost my bearings. Anyhow, it don't blow towards the house. Now then, I think I'll just have an armful of these 'ere plantain-leaves and them there bamboo. They're the things to burn." He hastily collected as many dry great ragged banana-leaves as he could grasp, laid them in a heap to windward of the clump, and jumped back quickly, grinning hugely as he turned to the boys.