What's that ?" "The dog," said Mark in the same low tone, for Bruff had softly crept to their side, looked up in their faces, and lain down.
"Why, hallo!" exclaimed the major, "this isn't natural." "What ?" "This dog.

There can't be any savages on the way; and, what is more, you can't have shot a serpent, or Bruff here would have been excited and routed him out.

Did you see the serpent ?" "No, sir; I didn't see it exactly, but you heard it hiss." "But, hang it all, Mark! You didn't shoot at a hiss, did you ?" "Well, no, sir.

I was horribly startled, and shot down at the soft thing upon which I jumped." "But if you are entrusted with a gun," said the major angrily, "you mustn't take fright and shoot at what you hear and feel, my lad." "Did you see the savages, sir ?" said Mark in self-defence.
"Well, no, but I saw the smoke of their fire; and here, Bruff, fetch him out, boy," he continued, breaking off his speech, and with cocked gun he parted the twigs and fronds cautiously as he stepped down into the hollow from which Mark had fled.
Hiss! hiss! hiss! came sharply from where the major stepped, and he in turn bounded back to Mark's side, falling over the dog, and having some difficulty in recovering himself.
"That's good! I like that," he cried, as, instead of helping him, Mark covered his escape by taking a step forward, and bringing his gun to bear on the spot whence the sounds came.
"Did--did you see it ?" said Mark huskily.
"See it! No, my lad.

Only that! Look!" He pointed as he rose to a filmy vapour floating away and dissolving in the sunshine.