Middy and Ensign Part 77

The serpent was apparently puzzled by this proceeding, and threw itself round a tree, hissing furiously as it menaced its a.s.sailant. Then sending a wave along the free part of its body to the tail, the Malay was driven flying on to his back amidst the canes.

The retreat of the reptile was cut off, though, for this interruption gave the doctor time to come up with his little double fowling-piece, from which a quick shot sent the menacing, quivering head down upon the earth; and then going up, a second shot placed the writhing monster _hors de combat_.

There was no little mirth in the camp as, faint and perspiring profusely, the doctor and his Malay boy came in, slowly dragging the long quivering body of the serpent, which the former at once set to work to skin before it should become offensive. Then the skin was laid raw side upwards, and dressed over with a.r.s.enical soap, a dose of which the Malay boy nearly succeeded in swallowing, being attracted by its pleasant aromatic odour.

"Laugh away," said the doctor, "but I mean to have that skin set up and sent to the British Museum, presented by Doctor Bolter," he said importantly.

"Well," said Captain Horton, "for my part I would rather encounter a fierce Malay than one of these writhing creatures. Take care of yourself, doctor, or you'll be constricted."

"Yes," said Major Sandars, entering into the joke, "I'll give orders that every swollen serpent is to be bayonetted and opened if the doctor is missing."

"Laugh away," said the doctor; "I don't mind."

"That's right," said Captain Horton; "but for goodness' sake, man, wash your hands well before you come to dinner."

"All right," said the doctor; and that evening, after dinner, he took the Malay boy into his confidence.

"Look here," he said, "I want to shoot an Argus pheasant. There must be some about here."

"Argus pheasant?" said the Malay boy, staring, and then shaking his head.

"Yes, I heard one last night."

Still the boy shook his head. He had never heard of such a bird.

"Oh, yes, you know what I mean," said the doctor; "they keep in the shelter of the jungle, and are very rarely shot; but I must have one."

The boy shook his head.

"Don't I tell you I heard one last night, after we had camped down? It calls out _Coo-ai_."

"No, no! no, no!" cried the boy; "_Coo-ow, Coo-ow_."

"Yes, that's it," cried the doctor. "You know the bird."

"Yes, know the big spot bird; all eyes," said the boy. "Sees all over himself; like a peac.o.c.k. Hunter no shoot him, see too much far."

"But I must shoot one," said the doctor.

"Yes, you shoot one," said the boy. "I take you to-night." The doctor rubbed his hands and was delighted; and after the dinner, when the officers and chiefs were sitting smoking and sipping their coffee by the light of the stars, he rose and took his gun, for the Malay boy was waiting.

"Off again, doctor?" cried the major.

"Yes," said the little man, importantly. "I am going, sir, to add to my collection a specimen of the celebrated Argus pheasant--_Phasia.n.u.s Giganteus_."

"No, no, doctor; no Latin names after dinner," cried several voices.

"As you please, gentlemen," he said.

"The sultan says, shall he send a score of his men to protect you?"

cried Captain Horton.

"For goodness' sake no!" cried the doctor in dismay. "My dear sir, this bird is only to be shot by approaching it most cautiously at night, or by laying patiently near its haunts."

"Laying what, doctor--eggs?" said a young officer.

"No, sir; a stick about the back of impertinent puppies," cried the doctor, angrily. "I said lying--lying in wait near the bird's haunts."

"Oh, I beg your pardon," said the young officer; and the doctor went off in dudgeon.

"I say, Thompson," said the major, "don't you be poorly, whatever you do, until the doctor has got over it, or he'll give you such a dose."

"I'll take care, sir," said the young man; and they went on chatting about other things.

CHAPTER FIFTY SIX.

DOCTOR BOLTER'S BIRD.

Meanwhile the doctor followed his Malay boy--as he was called, though he was really a man--through a narrow path right away from the camp and into the jungle.

The doctor was ruffled exceedingly at his slip of grammar, and looked very much annoyed; but the thought of being able to secure a specimen of the much-prized Argus pheasant chased away the other trouble, and he walked on closely behind his guide.

"How far have we to go, my lad?" he said.

"Walk two hours," said the Malay, "then sit down and listen. No speak a word till _Coo-ow_ come. Then make gun speak and kill him!"

"To be sure!" said the doctor, nodding his head; and then almost in silence he followed his guide, often feeling disposed to try and shoot one or other of the nocturnal birds that flitted silently by, or one of the great fruit bats that, longer in their spread of wings than rooks, flew in flocks on their way to devastate some orchard far away.

Quite two hours had elapsed, during which the Malay, apparently quite at home, led his scientific companion right away through the gloom of the wilderness.

At last he enjoined silence, saying that they were now approaching the haunts of the wondrous bird; and consequently the doctor crept on behind him without so much as crus.h.i.+ng a twig.

They had reached an opening in the forest, by the side of what was evidently a mountain of considerable height, and the doctor smiled as he recalled the fact that the Argus pheasant was reputed to haunt such places; when to his intense delight there soddenly rang out from the distance on the silent night air a peculiar cry that resembled the name given to the bird--_Coo-ow_. For the moment it seemed to the doctor as if some Australian savage was uttering his well-known _Coo-ay_, or as if this was the Malays' form of the cry. But he knew well enough what it was, and following his guide with the greatest caution, they crept on towards the place from which the sound had seemed to come.

It was weird work in that wild solitude far on towards midnight, but the doctor was too keen a naturalist to think of anything but the specimen of which he was in search. He knew that the native hunters, out night after night, could not shoot more than one of these birds in a year, and it would be quite a triumph if he could add such a magnificent thing to his collection.

_Coo-ow_--rang out the strange cry, and it seemed quite near. Then again _Coo-ow_, and this time it appeared to be a long way off.

This was tantalising, but he concluded directly after, that the second cry might be that of another bird answering the first.

They were now in amongst a number of low bushes, which gave them cover, while it made the surrounding country less black than when they were in the jungle-path. There they could only grope their way with outstretched hands; here they could have gone on at a respectable foot pace without danger of running against some impediment in the path.

The doctor c.o.c.ked both barrels of his gun, after opening the breech and making sure that the cartridges were in their place, and, in momentary expectation of setting a shot, he kept close behind the Malay.

_Coo-ow_! came the cry again, this time a little to the left; and the Malay stretched out a hand behind him to grasp that of the doctor as he went cautiously on.