34 
THE SEA-SERPENT. 
the way ! for heaven’s sake fly ! rush where you 
can ! if you linger, you die ! ” 
On came the snake, like a whirlwind blast; over 
the waves he fairly leapt ; in the surf a maiden 
stood aghast, — over her quick the monster swept. 
Heavens ! list to her frantic screams ! “ Father ! 
mother ! — O, help me ! — save ! — Albert, Al¬ 
bert ! ” Little he deems that his lady has met with 
a watery grave ! Albert stood on a point of rocks ; 
his trusty rifle gleamed in his hand ; (he wore the 
neatest of hunting-frocks ;) he saw the snake mak¬ 
ing straight for the land ; and though in truth he 
was somewhat alarmed, yet he took good aim and 
blazed away. But the serpent bears a life that’s 
charmed ; and though Albert says to this very day 
that he hit him, yet ah ! I fear the fact is, that 
Albert was sadly out of practice. 
iii. 
A mother was in the bathing-house there ; her 
little girl is safe by her side ; they hear the shrieks 
that rend the air, and the canvas door they open 
