Iris, my dear girl, if one of them had so much as scratched your finger nothing on earth could save you." She paled and drew back in sudden horror.

This tiny thing had taken the semblance of a snake.

A vicious cobra cast at her feet would be less alarming, for the reptile could be killed, whilst his venomous fangs would only be used in self-defence.
Another tap sounded on their thrice-welcome covering.

Evidently the Dyaks would persist in their efforts to get one of those poisoned darts home.
Jenks debated silently whether it would be better to create a commotion, thus inducing the savages to believe they had succeeded in inflicting a mortal wound, or to wait until the next arrow fell, rush out, and try conclusions with Dum-dum bullets against the sumpitan blowers.
He decided in favor of the latter course.

He wished to dishearten his assailants, to cram down their throats the belief that he was invulnerable, and could visit their every effort with a deadly reprisal.
Iris, of course, protested when he explained his project.