“We’ve the worst snake in the world, I believe, here in the Terai, Wargrave,” said Major Hunt.  “Look out for it when you’re in the jungle.  It’s the hamadryad or king-cobra.  Have you heard of it?”

“I saw the skin of one sixteen feet long in a Bombay museum, sir,” replied the subaltern.

“It’s the only snake in Asia that will attack human beings unprovoked; it’s deadly poisonous, unlike all other big snakes, and they say it moves so fast that it can overtake a man on a pony.  Benson, the Forest Officer of the district, tells me there are many of them in the jungles here.”

“One av the divils chased Dermot’s elephant once and turned on the Colonel when he interfered.  It got its head blown off for its pains,” put in the doctor.

“Don’t tell me any more, Burke,” exclaimed Wargrave laughing, “or I won’t be able to sleep to-night.”

He pushed back his chair as the Commandant rose from the table and, saying goodnight to the two junior officers, picked up from the verandah and lit a hurricane lantern and walked down the Mess steps with it on his way home to his bungalow.  Europeans in India do not care to move about at night without a lamp lest in the darkness they might tread on a snake.

Early on the following Monday morning Wargrave, dressed in khaki knickerbockers, shirt and puttees, and wearing besides his pith helmet a “spine protector”—­a quilted cloth pad buttoned to the back—­as a guard against sunstroke, went down to the Dermots’ bungalow.  In the garden the Colonel, also prepared for their shooting expedition, stood talking to his wife, while their children were trying to climb up Badshah’s legs.  The elephant was equipped with a light pad provided with large pockets into which were thrust Thermos flasks, packets of sandwiches and of cartridges.  Close by two servants were holding guns.

“Good morning, Wargrave,” said the Colonel, as the subaltern greeted him and his wife.  “You’re in good time.”

Eileen, deserting Badshah, ran to Frank and demanded to be lifted up and kissed.  When he had obeyed the small tyrant, he said: 

“I haven’t brought a rifle, sir.”

“That’s right.  I have one and a ball-and-shot gun for you.  We’ll walk down to the peelkhana by a short cut through the hills to look for kalej pheasant on the way.  Take the gun with you and load one barrel with shot; but put a bullet in the other, for you never know what we may meet.  Badshah will go down by the road, as well as one of the servants to bring the rifles and tell the mahouts to get a detachment elephant ready.  It will follow us in the jungle to carry any animals we kill, while we’ll ride Badshah.”

Kissing his wife and children the Colonel led the way down the road, followed by Frank and the servant, Badshah walking unattended behind them.

“Good sport, Mr. Wargrave!” called out Mrs. Dermot, as the subaltern turned at the gate to take off his hat in a farewell salute; and the little coquette beside her kissed her tiny hand to him.