"Seems to me it's difficult to judge that height at a distance of a mile," said Abe; "but, come to think of it, there was a magistrate at Mossel Bay who had the same luck about two years ago. He seed the serpent sporting around for a hour off the coast, and the crittur raised its head somewhere about ten feet. So I guess it's the same that's cruising off Port Nolloth." "Ever been to Port Nolloth?" asked Long Jim. "Well, I have; and the country's that lonesome and sand-blown, and gen'rally lost to all sense of what's fittin' for human beings to admire, that I'm not surprised the magistrate thought he saw something." "Don't you believe in sea-serpents, Jim?" "What, me! Well onct I spent a whole hour trying to smash a sea-serpent with rocks, and at the end of that time I found the thing were sea-bamboo--round and smooth, and tapering away to a point like a moving tail. No, sir; give me something I can see and feel." "'Cording to all accounts," said Abe, drily, "if you did feel the crittur, it would be when passing down his throat." "Of course you've seen one, Abe?" said Si Amos with a slight sneer. "I have," said Abe, quietly, as he reached over for the demijohn of Cango. "Did he lift his head ten feet from the sea?" asked Long Jim. "I see what it is," said Abe; "you fellows been listening to my exper'ences so long that you think I'm lying; and I'm not gwine to sacrifice my self-respeck by telling you things you don't believe. That's so!" There was a long pause, as no one felt disposed to make the needed sacrifice to Abe's exacting honour. "Was it a big snake?" asked Long Jim presently. "Pretty big," said Abe, shortly. "Twenty feet?" asked Jim, anxiously. Mr Pike smiled. "Not so much?" said Jim. "About a quarter of a mile long," said Abe, rising. "Well, I guess I'll go. So long." "Stay a moment," said Jim, firmly; "I can't let you go without saying that Abe Pike's word's as true as steel. A quarter of a mile, you said?" "Might a been a yard shorter," said Abe, carelessly, as he paused at the door. "Come back, old man," said Jim. "Take this chair--and there's more in the jug. So; that's good. A quarter of a mile," he muttered. "Well, that's good enough for a stretcher." "If you come along with me, Jim," said Abe, "I'll tell you about it. But I'm not laying myself open to words from them as is full of suspicion as a family of jackals." "That's not fair to me," I said. "I've swallowed--I mean I've accepted--all your stories without question." "And me, too," said Si, with a gulp. "Try some of this Transvaal tabak--it's first rate." Abe permitted himself to be appeased. He filled his pipe, and as he leant back in the chair with his heels up on the chimney, and a glass in one hand, a reminiscent look overspread his rugged face.