" RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI."

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 45

" RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVI."

By Rudyabd Kiplino, in St. Nicholas.

11 That's Nag or Nagaina," he said to himself; "and he's crawling into the bathroom sluice." Then, " you're right, Chuchundra. I should have talked to Chua."

' He stole off to Teddy's bathroom, but there was nothing there, and then to Teddy's mother's bathroom. At the, bottom of the smooth plaster wall there was a brick pulled out to make a sluice for the bath water, and as Rikki-tikki stole in by the masonry curb where the bath is put he heard Nag and Nagaina whispering together outside in the moonlight.

" When the house is emptied of people," said Nagaina, "he will have to go away, and then the garden will be our own again. Go in quietly, and remember that the big man who killed Karait is the first one to bite. Then come out and tell me, and we will hunt for Rikki-tikki together."

" But are you sure that there is anything to be gained by killing the people 7 " said Nag.

" Everything. When there were, no people in the bungalow did we have any mongoose in the garden 1 So long as the bungalow is empty we are king and queen of the garden ; and remember that as soon as our eggs in the melon bed hatch (they may hatch to-morrow) our children will need room."

" I had not thought of that," said Nag. " I will go, but there is no need that we should hunt for Rikki-tikki afterwards. I will kill the big man and his wife, and the child if I can, and come away quietly. Then the bungalow will be empty, and Rikkitikki will go. I will come in the morning, Nagaina."

Bjkki-tikki tingled all over with rage and hatred at this, and then Nag's head came through the sluice, and his sft of cold body followed it. Angry as he was, Rikki-tikki was very frightened as he saw the size of the big cobra. Nag coiled himself up, raised his head, and looked into the bathroom in the dark, and Rikki could see his eyes glitter.

"Now, if I kill him here, Nagaina will know ; and if I fight him on the open floor the odds aie in bis favour. What am I to do?" Baid Rikkl- tikH-tavi. Nag waved to and fro, and then Rikki-tikki

heard him drinking from the biggest waterjar that was used to fill the bath. " That is good," said the snake. " Now, when Karait was killed the big man had a stick. He may have that stick still, but when he comes in to bathe in the morning he will not have a stick. I shall have to waib here till he come 3. Nagaina — do you hear me? I shall wait here in the cool."

There was no answer from outside, so Rikki-tikki knew Nagaina bad gone away. NBg coiled himself down, coil by coil, round the bulge at the bottom of the water jar, and Rikki-tikki stayed still as death. After an hour he began to move, muscle by muscle, towards the jar. Nag was asleep, and Rikkitikki looked at his big back, wondering which would be the best place for a good bold.

"If I don't break his back at the first jump," Baid Rikki, "he can still fight." He looked at the thickness of the neck below the hood, but that was too much for him ; and a bite near the tail would only make Nag savage.

11 It mast .be the head," he said at last — "the head above the hood; and when I am once there I must not let go." Then he jumped The head was lying a little clear of the water jar, under the curve of it ; and, as his teeth met, Rikkl braced his back against the bulge to hold down the head. This gave him just one second's purchase, and he made the most of it. Then he was battered to and fro aa a rat -is shaken by a dog — to and fro on the floor, up and down, and round in great circles ; but his eyes were red and he held on as the body cartwhipped over the floor, upsetting the tin dipper and the soapdißh and the fleshbrush, and banged against the tin Bide of the bath. As he held he closed his jaws tighter and tighter, for he made sure he would be banged to death, and, for the honour of his Eamily, he preferred to be found with his teeth locked. He was dizzy, aching, and felt shaken to pieces, when something went off like a thunderclap just behind him; and, a wind knocked him senseless and red fife singed his fur. The big man had been wakened by the noise, and had fired both barrels of a shotgun into Nag just behind the hood.

Rikki-tikki held on with bis eyes shut, for now he was quite sure he was dead ; bat the bead did not move, and the big man picked him up and said, " It's the moDgoosa again, Alice ;' the little chap has saved our lives now." Then Teddy'a mother came in with a very white face and saw what waa left of Nag, and Rikki-tikki dragged himself to Teddy's bedroom and spent half the rest of the night licking himself to find out whether he really was broken into 40 pieces. (To be continued.)