A DROWSY HOUR. 



193 



Beyond our tree a fierce light was beating pitilessly down 



upon the patient vegetation. 



It was the time for s,leep. The birds had given us the 



cue, and had sought the shelter of the deepest shade. 



Even the doves were feeling the drowsy influence of the 



midday hour and had stopped their plaintive cooing. 



From the dry stiff leaves, fallen from our tree, a hzard 



came rustling out, advancing stealthily with many a 



jerky, furtive Httle run, towards the outstretched legs 



of my already sleeping companions. In a dreamy, 



sleepy sort of way, I see it raise itself on its forelegs and 



turn its head in my direction. For a second or two it 



remains thus, galvanized into a position of strained and 



anxious suspicion. It has an eye of topaz, beady and 



ghttering, like flashing gold. The sunHght filters down 



through the leaves, and falls upon its glistening coat of 



iridescent but invisible scales. It seems to hesitate, 



uncertain of its next move. It is in the presence of 



some utterly strange experience, and a rash step may 



be fatal. What is passing through that diminutive 



little brain, in the sleek pointed head ? — if anything in 



the nature of incipient thought can be said to influence it. 



Can it be wondering, what these strange giant- like 



creatures are, who have sprawled themselves, without 



so much as a " by your leave," all over the happy himting 



ground, which it had always considered to be its own ? 



Lazily I flick a piece of sandwich in its direction, and 



like a flash it has whisked round and scuttled off through 



the dry rustling leaves .... a gentle sound of snoring 



comes from the other side of the gnarled tree trunk ; 



the drowsy silence is slowly having its effect ; . . . . my 



head seems to want some sort of support ; — I half think 



that must have been my pipe which fell with such a crash 



among the leaves. Well ! who cares ? let it stay there. 

 * * * * 



What's that you say ? — a schooner ! a black flag ! ! 

 By the Holy Virgin yes ! look at her ; a Hkely looking 

 craft enough, with a hull as black as night and lines as 



N 



