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 -LRB- as they may tomorrow -RRB- , our children will need room and quiet . '' `` I had not thought of that , '' said Nag . `` I will go , but there is no need that we should hunt for Rikki-tikki afterward . 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 Rikki-tikki will go . '' Rikki-tikki tingled all over with rage and hatred at this , and then Nag 's head came through the sluice , and his five feet 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 are in his favor . What am I to do ? '' said Rikki-tikki-tavi . Nag waved to and fro , and then Rikki-tikki heard him drinking from the biggest water-jar 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 wait here till he comes . Nagaina -- do you hear me ? -- I shall wait here in the cool till daytime . '' There was no answer from outside , so Rikki-tikki knew Nagaina had gone away . Nag 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 XXXXX move , muscle by muscle , toward the jar .
at by from if into of on that till to