In Search of the Okapi eBook

Ernest Glanville
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 380 pages of information about In Search of the Okapi.

In Search of the Okapi eBook

Ernest Glanville
This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 380 pages of information about In Search of the Okapi.

With an effort they drew their eyes away from that cold glance that held them almost paralyzed and glanced down.  Beyond, the light branches shook as the huge coils passed over them.  Such coils!  As they moved into the sunlight they saw the glitter of the scales and the ridges of the muscles, and the movement was like the movement of several serpents instead of one.

Venning looked again at the motionless head.  “When it has gathered its length behind and above its head,” he said slowly, “it will strike.”

“And you dropped the guns!”

“No one can stare a snake out—­no one,” said Venning; and his eyes were fixed.

“How far can it strike?”

“It has no lids to its eyes.  It just looks and looks.  Compton!”

Compton took Venning by the arm and shook him.  “Come on,” he cried.  “What are we standing here for?”

But as he spoke his eyes went up involuntarily, and his pupils expanded.

“It’s coming closer,” he whispered.

“And its eyes are brighter.”  Venning shut his eyes, and gripped his companion.

They swayed, and just managed to save themselves from a headlong fall by grasping a branch.  The shock restored them, and the next minute they had swung themselves up on to the branch, and from that to the next.  It was done in an instant, but when they cast a breathless look down, they saw the unwinking eyes looking up at them from the very spot they had just left.  The snake had a double coil round the branch that had supported them, while the huge body bridged the distance to the branches from which the blow had been delivered just a moment too late.  As they looked, the hinder part of the body fell with a thud against the tree-trunk, and began to ripple up.

“Back,” said Compton, “to the next tree.”

They darted to the vine-bridge, swung over, then stopped to see if the snake would follow.

“The monkey-rope would never bear its weight,” said Venning.

“Can you hear it?  By Jove, I feel all of a jump.  I felt as if I had to stand there and watch it come right up.”

“Ugh!” said Compton.  “It was awful.  Get ready to run.  I see it—­over there—­just opposite; it’s going up—­no, down.  I say, it will chase us from underneath.  Come on!”

Venning went a little lower, the better to see the ground.

“Hi! underneath, Mr. Hume!  Muata!  Hi!  Coo-ee!”

“Halloa!  What is it?”

“A snake!  He’s going down the next tree to this.  Look out!”

“All right; but you will find it safer down here.”

They were of that same opinion, and were down with a run, that took some of the bark off their shins, as well as off the trees.

“And where are your guns?”

“Dropped them,” said Compton.

“I see.  Dropped them first, and discovered your danger after.”

“Rub it in, sir.  We ought to have followed you; and we have had a fine fright.  It’s big enough to scare any one.”

Copyrights
Project Gutenberg
In Search of the Okapi from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.