70 MAY 



" Have you any cobras ? " I asked. 



"Oh yes," he said, "many." 



"Keally," I said, much interested, looking round 

 at the shadowy room. 



"Also," he said quite proudly, "we have the 

 Bis-cobra." 



"The Bis-cobra," I exclaimed, "I have never 

 heard of that, whatever is it ? " 



" Oh," he said, " it is like a large lizard, and its 

 bite is very poisonous. One was killed here in this 

 very room four days ago," with a smile. 



Heavens ! the man thought he was pleasing me 

 by this account of his reptiles. I said I would go 

 to bed at once, and have as many lamps in the 

 room as there were corners. We did, but the light 

 was so bright I could not sleep. When at last I 

 dropped off, I was awakened by most curious 

 scratching noises. I shrieked to the Burra Sahib 

 that there was the Bis-cobra trying to get in ! 

 Which side, and where ? I pulled the mosquito 

 net tightly in on all sides, as if that would be some 

 protection, and gazed horror-stricken all round. 

 Would it make for us open-mouthed at once, or 

 could we fight it? The master seized his stick 



