88 SNAKES. 



time depart of its own accord. All present were accustomed 

 to the stealthy intruders, and did not, happily, lose their 

 presence of mind. They very noiselessly bent down so as 

 to take a survey beneath the table, when, sure enough, 

 there was the unwelcome visitor, a full-sized cobra, twining 

 and gliding about the legs of their hapless friend. Literally 

 death was at his feet I A movement, a noise, even an 

 agitated tremble might have been fatal. 



Luckily one of the four was acquainted with the milk- 

 loving habit of the cobra, and rising from his seat with quiet 

 and cautious movements, not daring to hasten, yet dreading 

 delay, he managed to steal from the room, while he signed 

 the rest to remain motionless. Quickly he crept back with 

 a saucer of milk in his hand, and still with noiseless move- 

 ments set the saucer under the table as close to the terrible 

 reptile as it was safe to venture. 



That fearful strain on their nerves was happily of not 

 long duration, for presently they were relieved by seeing the 

 creature gradually untwine itself and go to the milk. 



Never before or since did that officer leap from his seat 

 as he did then, the moment he felt himself free from the 

 coils of the cobra, and read in the faces of his comrades that 

 he was saved. Short thrift, however, had Mr. Cobra, for 

 sticks and whip-handles were freely administered, even before 

 the saucer w^as reached. 



The enemy got rid of, the game was resumed ; and it is 

 worth the while of those in India to bear this narrow escape 

 in mind, and bring milk to the rescue in case of similar 

 danger. 



That snakes drink, and occasionally drink milk, is suffi- 



