Part 22 (1/2)

CHAPTER XVII

ON LAKE NARSAC AT LAST

It was true, they had struck a regular nest of snakes, and in less than a minute the camp seemed to be fairly overrun with the reptiles, which were from a foot to three feet in length.

Now, if there was one thing which the young hunters hated worse than anything else, it was a snake, and consequently there was a lively rush to get out of the way of the reptiles. The snakes were dark brown in color, with lighter stripes, and what variety the young hunters did not know. They might be poisonous, and the youths did not care to run any chances.

The snakes seemed to be fearless, and the fact that several were speedily killed did not daunt them. Whopper cut one in two with his hatchet and Snap crushed another with his heel. Then, as they came close to the tent, Shep hit a third with a saucepan and Giant kicked a fourth into the water. But by this time at least thirty snakes were in sight, and not knowing what else to do, the young hunters ran for the rowboat and tumbled into that. One snake went with Whopper, twined around his foot, but that youth kicked it loose and sent it squirming into the water.

”Did you ever see the like!” gasped Giant. ”Why, the woods must be full of snakes!”

”We must be close to Lake Narsac,” answered Snap. ”Don't you remember what they said about snakes being plentiful?”

”If they are as plentiful as all this I want to go right back,”

declared Whopper firmly. And then he looked up his trouser legs, to make certain no reptiles had gone above his ankles. The other boys were also busy, scanning the rowboat, to clear it of possible visitors.

The craft was tied to the sh.o.r.e but had drifted several feet from the bank. They had rushed away so quickly that all of their firearms were in or near the tent, which was but partly raised, one end flapping idly in the faint breeze that was blowing. The campfire had been started with a few dry twigs and cedar boughs and cast only a faint gleam around in the gathering darkness.

”I didn't know snakes could be so active in the dark,” observed the doctor's son.

”We stepped right into their nest,” answered Snap. ”First Whopper went into it and then I followed. That is what made the snakes so mad and made them come right after us.”

”Some of them have gone into the tent,” cried Giant. ”I just saw three of them wriggle under the canvas.”

”And to think all the guns ar ash.o.r.e!” murmured Whopper. ”What are we to do?”

”Walk ash.o.r.e and get them,” suggested Snap, with a wink.

”Not for a million dollars! You do it.”

”Thank you, but I---er---I'm lame.”

”I guess we are all too lame to go ash.o.r.e among those snakes,” said Giant, with a short laugh. ”But we have got to do something,” he added, seriously.

”I move we remain on the boat until morning,” said Shep. ”Even if we clear out some of the snakes now, we may not be able to get at all of them. And who wants to go to sleep with snakes around?

Not I!”

”I couldn't sleep if I tried,” said Whopper. ”I'd be seeing all kinds of snakes in my dreams!” And he shuddered.

Fortunately they had cooked some extra fish that noon and this food had not been taken from the boat. They dined on the fish and some crackers, and that was all. By this time it was night and the tiny campfire was a mere glow of hot ashes.

”We might try the other side of the stream,” suggested Snap.

”There may be snakes there too,” said Giant. ”You can do as you please, I am going to stay on the boat until daylight.”

”But what are you going to do when you get to the lake? We must camp somewhere?”

”We'll hunt up a snakeless place in the broad daylight. The snakes can't be everywhere.”