erpent
n
(dated 旧) 1 snake, esp a large one 蛇(尤指大的).
2 person who tempts others to do wrong; sly person 诱人犯错的人; 狡猾的人
the old Serpent, ie the Devil 魔王(魔鬼).
They had to work inside the ship, cutting away old metal, fixing new metal plates, drilling holes, laying electrical and phone wires and fixing new pipes for water and steam.