Part 21 (1/2)

”Don't know how it would work,” replied Frank, smiling a little, however, at the faith Andy seemed to have in a blazing brand, now that he could look back to his late experience with the jaguar. ”Never heard that snakes were afraid of fire. And besides, there's no need. Now keep quiet, and watch. You'll see something worth while; but be ready to jump clear.”

He had already dropped down on one knee. The Marlin stock rested against his cheek, and his eyes sighted along the barrel. Andy fairly held his breath, his startled eyes glued on that swaying head of the monster.

Then came the sharp report as Frank pulled the trigger. He instantly jumped back, and by a rapid motion of his hand sent another cartridge into the chamber, the clever mechanism of the gun proving that it was built so as never to fail in an emergency.

Andy had accompanied his chum in that backward movement; but never for an instant did he remove his eyes from the strange spectacle that was taking place there in front of them both.

Undoubtedly the well aimed bullet had crashed through the fearful head of the suspended anaconda. Instantly it released its many coils above, and a tremendous length of writhing snake could be seen whipping over the ground. Nothing in the way of small vegetation could stand in the path of those powerful springy coils, as they shot this way and that.

”Oh! my!” gasped the astounded Andy, as he moved farther back, so as to avoid any chance contact with the flying destructive force that was leveling everything in the glade for twenty feet around. ”Did you ever see anything to equal that? Talk to me about your harvesting machines, here's one that's got 'em all beat to a frazzle. Ain't he ever going to give up the ghost, Frank? Guess these anacondas must have the nine lives of a cat!”

”Well,” remarked Frank, ”you must have forgotten that among boys it's said that a snake won't die till sundown. I've seen one's tail wiggle hours after we thought the thing was stone dead. There, he's moving off into the forest, and a good riddance. While I'd like to measure the serpent just from curiosity, we've got no time to waste waiting for him to kick the bucket.”

”That's right,” a.s.sented Andy. ”And as for going anywhere near such a whirlwind, you'd have to excuse me.”

They watched the dying anaconda gradually vanish in the depth of the forest; and both boys were glad that it had turned out that way, since they were anxious to depart from the place.

”Don't I wish I'd had my little camera along, so I could have snapped a shot at that dandy chap! The fellows would believe me then, when I told about what happened to us here. And anyway, Frank, I don't think we'll forget this camp, do you?”

”Well, hardly,” replied his chum, smiling broadly. ”Because we've sure had enough happen to us here to make us remember. But I'm glad to find there's going to be more s.p.a.ce for the run than I thought at first.”

”We'll need every inch of it,” declared Andy, as he looked dubiously at the tops of the lower trees about the place where the snake had held forth. ”Don't I wish we'd brought a few sticks of dynamite along, though.”

”For goodness' sake, what would we want with dynamite? Think you could have blown up that snake, do you?” asked Frank, as they started to cross the glade toward the waiting monoplane.

”Oh! shucks, no. I was thinking how we could plant 'em under a bunch of those trees and enlarge the gap!” declared Andy.

At that Frank burst out into a hearty laugh.

”What a fellow you are for wild notions. Think of us blowing up the forest to make an aviation field! I reckon, however, seeing that you haven't got the dynamite, Andy, we'll have to do the best we can. Take hold here and we'll push the machine just as far back as it will go. Perhaps we can gain a few yards at this end that will count in the long run.”

Frank was particularly careful about every little detail. He knew just what he had to depend on. In the past he had made it a pet hobby to rise in as short a s.p.a.ce as possible; and now this faculty seemed destined to prove a valuable a.s.set in their speedy climbing up.

”All ready?” he asked, grimly.

Andy took one last look at the face of his chum. He saw that Frank's mouth was compressed in that firm way that stood for so much; and somehow Andy's wavering confidence returned in full measure. When Frank Bird looked like that, things always had gone according to his will; and they must now!

”Yes, I'm fit, Frank,” he said, quietly. ”Let her go when you're ready!”

In the many times that the two boys had made ascents, Andy could never remember that his pulses throbbed with one-half the suspense they did now. Not even on that never to be forgotten initial performance, when for the first time they felt the strange sensation of leaving the solid ground in a flying machine, had he been so excited, so nervous, so filled with alternate hope and fear.

Frank had taken every possible precaution. He had thoroughly studied the ground, and made sure that no obstacle would be apt to cause the running gear of the aeroplane to swerve, and thus throw them off their course.

All he could do was to start the machinery, get a rise at the quickest possible second, and be ready to shut off power if he realized that the feat they were about to attempt were impossible, so as to avoid smas.h.i.+ng the planes against a tree.

”Then here goes!” he said, calmly.

Andy held his breath as he heard the engine start off at a tremendous speed. He felt as though a giant hand had plucked them from the spot where the aeroplane had been planted for the start. Across the glade they went speeding. His heart almost jumped into his mouth he believed, as he felt the little craft start to leave the ground, as Frank manipulated the planes, and elevated them so as to catch the air under the broad blades.