For a few minutes Jack lay perfectly still, feeling as if he were yielding to that peculiar fear which paralyses in the presence of a serpent. But he closed his eyes, set his teeth hard, and remained motionless, mentally combating the sensation of horror and mastered it. While upon unclosing his eyes and looking in the direction of the fire, he saw that the coiling and uncoiling had ceased, and the raised heads had been lowered as if to resume the interrupted sleep. Jack felt that action was the best safeguard against the horrible, paralysing sensation, and softly passing his hand along till he could touch Ned's face, he tapped his cheek sharply. "Don't!" He tapped again. "I'm awake, I tell you. Guv'nors' call?" "Ned!--Ned!" "Eh? yes!--all right. That you, Mr Jack?" "Yes. Hush!" whispered the lad. "Don't move; don't raise a hand. Listen. Are you quite awake?" "Yes, sir. What's the matter?" "We're in danger, Ned." "Yes, sir, I knew that before I shut my eyes; but it was no use to holloa about it. What is it now?" The call was repeated and answered before Jack spoke. "Oh, that's it, is it, sir?" said Ned quietly. "Pretty creatures. After us again, eh? Well, if we lie still they won't see us, and--yes-- shadow's rising on the mountain, it will be dark directly. All we've got to do is to make out which way they go, and then go the other, so the sooner they show the better for us--I mean before it gets dark. Such a stupid place too; there ain't no evening, it's dark directly." "There's more danger, Ned," whispered Jack. "Eh? what, ain't that enough, sir? Well, what is it?" "Turn your head very gently, so that you can look at the fire." "Yes, sir.--Well, it's out." "Don't you see anything there?" "Whoo!" ejaculated the man in a tone full of horror, "snakes, hundreds of 'em! Oh, we mustn't stand that, sir; they're waiting till it's cool enough, so as to get our 'taters." "Nonsense: after the warmth. Now you see, Ned. What's to be done?" The man was silent for a few moments. Then softly-- "This is nice, Mr Jack; we can't get up and run away because of the niggers, and we can't stop here because of the snakes. Yes; what's to be done?" Jack was silent in turn for a few moments. "Let's crawl a little way off, Ned." Jack set the example, and it was very willingly followed, till they were a dozen yards farther from the fire; but before half the distance was covered, the shouting of the blacks was heard again. "I say, Mr Jack," whispered Ned, as they subsided, "you're a very clever fellow over your books." "Am I, Ned?" said Jack sadly. "Oh, yes, I've often heard the guv'nor and Doctor Instow say so. Well then, there's me. I'm sharp enough over my work--sort of handy chap." "Yes; but what's the good of talking about that now?"