The snake put his head in it,
saying, "Any port in a storm," then drew in his whole length, and
settled himself comfortably among the straw.
Beasts and birds have instincts, and a certain amount of will and
understanding, but no memory worth mentioning. For that reason the
domestics never told Philip about the snake in his mattress, they had
forgotten all about it. If Sam had buried a bone, he would have
remembered it a week afterwards, if he was hungry; but as for snakes,
it was, "out of sight, out of mind."
Philip took in his mattress and blanket before sundown and made his
bed. The snake was still in the straw; he had been badly scared, and
thought it would be best to keep quiet until he saw a chance to creep
out, and continue his journey down the garden. But it was awfully
dark inside the mattress, and although he went round and round
amongst the straw he could not find any way out of it, so at last he
said: "I must wait till morning," and went to sleep.
When Philip went to bed the snake was disturbed, and woke up. There
was so heavy a weight on him that he could scarcely move, and he was
almost suffocated. He said: "This is dreadful; I have been in many
a tight place in my time, but never in one so tight as this.
Whatever am I to do? I shall be squeezed to death if I don't get away
from this horrid monster on top of me.
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