THE SEA-SERPENT. 
85 
lar break-neck chase. “ The devil take the 
hindmost JJ now, was still the cry ; but, in this 
race, the serpent, who had caused the row, de¬ 
cided he would quite reverse the maxim, — so 
he swiftly wheeled, and caught the first; and what 
was worse, the fog and night so far concealed 
the snake, that those who were rushing on to 
catch him very soon were caught, and quickly 
eaten one by one. The crowd behind them 
only thought that they had vanished in the gloom, 
nor knew they of their living tomb. 
On came the crowd with cheer and shout ; 
but they saw the serpent stand at bay, and quick¬ 
ly they faced to the right about, and ran as fast 
the other way. The serpent did not care to 
pursue them ; he only meant with his looks to 
subdue them ; so he quietly turned to that wave- 
washed beach, and in less than a minute was out 
of their reach. 
ii. 
After the ball there are very few stay, when 
it’s really fairly over, although I would rather 
