"Snakes," said Adam, helping himself to a grilled kidney.

"Four snakes. I don't understand."

"Mongoose," said Adam, and then added explanatorily: "I was out with the
mongoose just after three."

"Four snakes in one morning! Why, I didn't know there were so many on
the Brow"--the local name for the western cliff. "I hope that wasn't the
consequence of our talk of last night?"

"It was, sir. But not directly."

"But, God bless my soul, you didn't expect to get a snake like the
Lambton worm, did you? Why, a mongoose, to tackle a monster like that--if
there were one--would have to be bigger than a haystack."

"These were ordinary snakes, about as big as a walking-stick."

"Well, it's pleasant to be rid of them, big or little. That is a good
mongoose, I am sure; he'll clear out all such vermin round here," said
Mr. Salton.

Adam went quietly on with his breakfast. Killing a few snakes in a
morning was no new experience to him. He left the room the moment
breakfast was finished and went to the study that his uncle had arranged
for him. Both Sir Nathaniel and Mr. Salton took it that he wanted to be
by himself, so as to avoid any questioning or talk of the visit that he
was to make that afternoon. They saw nothing further of him till about