midday
On hunting about they found some chupatties which had apparently been newly baked , a store of rice and of several other grains . They took the chupatties , five or six pounds of rice , and a little copper cooking-pot . They placed in a conspicuous position two rupees , which were more than equivalent to the value of the things they had taken , and went on their way rejoicing . At midday they sat down , lit a fire with some dried sticks , and put their rice in the pot to boil . As Ned was stooping to pick up a stick he was startled by a simultaneous cry of `` Look out ! '' from Dick , and a sharp hiss ; and looking up , saw , three or four feet ahead of him , a cobra , with its hood inflated , and its head raised in the very act of springing . Just as it was darting itself forward Dick 's stick came down with a sharp tap on its head and killed it .