day, and took a long walk by the base of the cliff. On the shore we
found a dead whale, which the sea had no doubt thrown up in the storm.
We had long felt the need of oil; for though we had a lamp, we had
naught but our wax lights to put in it, and these gave a poor light to
read by. The next day we cut up the whale, and put the flesh in tubs.
It was far from a clean job, for the oil ran down our clothes and made
them smell; but as we could change them for new ones, thanks to the
hemp and my wife's skill, we did not mind that, for the oil was now
worth more to us than our clothes, though at one time we should not
have thought so.

One day we all set out on a tour to the Farm. Jack and Frank had gone
on first, while my wife and I were as yet close to the Cave. All at
once the boys came back, and Fritz said, "Look at that strange thing on
its way up the path. What can it be?"

I cast my eye on the spot and cried out, "Fly all of you to the Cave!
fly for your lives!" for I saw it was a huge snake, or boa, that would
make a meal of one of us, if we did not get out of its way.

We all ran in doors, and put bars up to the door of the Cave. A large
dove cote had been made on the roof, and to this we got up through a
hole in the rock.

Ernest took aim with his gun, and shot at the snake, so did Fritz and
Jack, but it gave no sign that they had hit it. I then tried my skill,
but it did not seem to feel my shot any more than theirs, though I was
sure I must have struck its head. Just as we took aim at it once more,
we saw it turn round and glide through the reeds in the marsh.