The sheets were jerking at the belaying-pins, the blocks rattling in sharp snappings like castanets.

My own more commonplace conjecture is that the sounds are produced by snappings and gratings of the big mandibles ("He is gritting his teeth," said a shrewd unornithological Yankee, whose opinion I had solicited), and that the wing movements may be nothing but involuntary accompaniments of this almost convulsive action of the beak.

The blinds are half lowered for the heat, but, through them and under them, the broad gold sunshine is streaming and pushing itself, washing the careful twists of my flax hair, the bag's stout red leather sides, and Sir Roger's nose, as he leans over it, with manly distrust, trying the clasp by many searching snappings.

But when the queer, mysterious night sounds began to comethose creakings of loose planks, strainings of unseen timbers and untraceable snappings in the walls, that are common in old houseshe frequently thought of the automatic revolver; and the chill of the polished metal always felt comforting enough.

" With a great flourish he drew a paper from his girdle, unrolled it with many snappings and cracklings, and thrust it before the face of Pak Chung Chang.