Part 15 (1/2)

He prepared his bait with care, and then dropped his line into the hole

Al a jerk, found he had caught soe and powerful

”Gracious, it must be a whopper!” he muttered, as the fish darted hither and thither Then he braced back on the rock, to play the ga in the catch at once seereatly, and he was afraid it would snap on him

He could not stand on the slippery rock very well, and so stepped behind it, on a number of loose stones Hardly had he done so when he heard a strange hissing Looking down, he saw a snake glide frory reptile faced him

CHAPTER XIV

OVER THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Darry was ood reason Never before had he faced such a snake, and the reptile looked ready to spring upon him at any instant

What to do the boy did not know, yet instinctively he leaped back to the top of the rock Then the fish gave a jerk which almost took him from his feet

”Joe! Will!” he shouted ”Come this way! I'm in a pickle!”

”What's the matter?” shouted Captain Moore, and soon he and his brother were co forward as quickly as they could

In thefish was bound to get away At the bottom of the rock lay the snake, with head raised and mouth wide open Its eyes shone like diamonds

”A snake! Kill it!” shrieked Darry

”A snake?” echoed Joe ”Where?”

”At the botto to come up!”

”I see him,” put in Captain Moore

As he spoke the snake made a leap for the top of the rock As the reptile went up, Darry went down, and ran along the brook's edge, still with his fishi+ng-pole in his hand

Catching up a sharp stone, Captain Moore flung it at the snake, hitting the reptile in the tail At once the thing whirled around, and now forgetting Darry it turned on its assailant

”He's co for you!” ejaculated Joe ”Run, Will, or you'll be bitten sure!”

”I' officer, and in a trice he whipped out his pistol As the snake came on he let drive His aim was true, and the snake dropped with its head half severed from its body

”Good for you!” said Joe, and now he picked up a stone as large as his hand This he dropped directly on the quivering head, and thus ended the battle, although the body of the snake continued to wriggle for a long while afterward

With white face and set teeth, Darry continued to play his catch and he was still at it when Joe and his brother ca up

”Did the snake bite you?” questioned the young captain ”Why didn't you pull in?”