Page 45 - A Little Bush Maid

’Why, there’s a snake!’

"So there was, and it was just beside Phil. Tt had crawled up between the
verandah boards, and was lying quietly near the little chap, looking at him

stealthily--he was blowing away, quite unconcerned. We didn’t know what
to do for a moment, for the beastly thing was so near Phil that we didn’t like
to hit it for fear we missed and it bit him. However, Phil solved the

difficulty by getting up and walking off, still playing the piccolo. The snake
never stirred when he did--and you may be sure it didn’t get much chance to

stir after. Three sticks came down on it at the same time."

"T say!" Norah breathed quickly. "What an escape for poor Phil!"

"Wasn’t it? He didn’t seem to care a bit when we showed him the snake and

told him it had been so near him--he hadn’t known a thing about it. ’Can’t be
bovvered wiv snakes,’ was all he said."

"When T was a little kiddie," Norah said, "they found me playing with a
snake one day."

"Playing with it?" Harry echoed.

"Yes; T was only about two, and T don’t remember anything about it. Dad
came on to the back verandah, and saw me sitting by a patch of dust,

stroking something. He couldn’t make out what it was at first, and then he
came a bit nearer, and saw that it was a big snake. Tt was lying in the dust
sunning itself, and T was stroking it most kindly."

"By George!" said Harry.

"Funny what things kiddies will do!" said Norah, with all the superiority of
twelve long years. "Tt frightened Dad tremendously. He didn’t know what to

do, ’cause he didn’t dare come near or call out. T s’pose the snake saw him,
’cause it began to move. Tt crawled right over my bare legs."

"And never bit you?"