Chapter XXI: An Adventure with Snakes

“What’s the matter, Pepper?” questioned Jack, quickly.

“What did you see?” asked Andy.

“Why, I—er—I guess I was mistaken,” stammered Pepper, looking first at his chums and then at the girls.

“But what was it?” questioned Laura. “Why, you gave a regular jump!”

“Why I—er—that is—Oh, never mind,” answered Pepper. “Go on, I’ll be with you in a minute,” and he turned back on the rocks.

“Something is wrong,” muttered Dale to himself, and as Andy and Jack went on with the girls he sided up to The Imp. “What was it?” he asked in a low tone.

“I think I saw a big snake, Dale.”

“A snake!”

“Yes.”

“Where?”

“Back between the rocks we just crossed. It poked its head up and looked right at us.”

“Then why didn’t you say so?”

“I didn’t want to alarm the girls. If they thought a snake was near they’d have a fit.”

“I suppose that is so. Well, I hate snakes myself. Let us see if this one is still around.”

The boys walked back, but not for far. As they placed their feet on one of the rocks that joined the headland to the island proper they heard a vigorous hissing, and not one but three snakes of good size showed themselves.

The cadets were so startled that both let out a yell and tried to retreat. Their cries reached the others in the party, and all turned back.

“Oh, a snake! a snake!” screamed Flossie, as she caught sight of one of the reptiles. “Oh, what shall we do?”

“I see two of them!” said Laura, and gave a shudder. “Oh, dear me! And they are right between us and the island! However are we to get back to the picnic grounds?”

All of the young folks kept at a distance. Two of the snakes were still in sight, the third had disappeared.

“Maybe we had better stone ’em,” said Andy. “That’s what I’d do if I was alone.”

“If you do that they may come for us,” answered Flossie, almost tearfully.

“If we only had sticks!” sighed Dale, but there were no sticks or bushes on the headland, only grass and rocks.

The cadets talked the situation over and then, leaving the girls at the extreme end of the headland, the lads picked up a number of jagged stones and advanced with caution to where the snakes had been seen. Two were still in view and they aimed at these and hit each.

“That’s the way to do it!” cried Andy, as the snakes dropped back in a hollow and commenced to squirm around. “Give ’em some more stones!” The stones were forthcoming and one that was well-aimed took the larger of the two snakes in the head, killing it. But the other continued to whip around, and presently came out on the rocks and in the direction of the cadets.

“He’s coming this way!”

“Hit him with another stone!”

Jack was trying to get another stone when the snake made a sudden move and twined around the young major’s ankle. Jack took his free foot and tried to kick it off, but in vain.

It was now that Dale showed his nerve. Like a flash he pulled out his jackknife and opened the blade. Then he bent down and slashed away quickly at the snake, ripping open the reptile’s back. Then he struck the snake in the head.

“That’s it—give it to him!” gasped Jack, and Dale continued to use his knife. The girls screamed loudly and wrung their hands. Then the snake, cut in two, dropped down on the rocks. Andy kicked the severed parts into the water and they sank from sight. Pepper kicked the other snake into the water also.

“Oh, dear, this is terrible!” moaned Flossie.

“I wish we were back to papa and mamma,” sighed Laura. Both girls looked as if they were ready to faint.

“Don’t get scared,” said Pepper. “They are both dead.”

“But there may be others,” said Flossie. She turned to Jack. “Did the snake bite you?”

“No, he didn’t get a chance, thanks to Dale,” answered the young major, with a grateful glance at his chum.

“Shall we try to go back?” asked Laura.

“Wait until we make sure that the way is clear,” said Pepper, who had not forgotten about the third snake.

He went back with caution and made an inspection. The third snake was nowhere in sight, and what had become of it he could not tell.

“I think you girls had better let us carry you,” said Pepper. “Then the snakes won’t be able to get at you, even if they do appear.”

At first the girls demurred at being carried. But they hated to step where the snakes had shown themselves, and finally consented. Pepper took Flossie in his arms and Jack followed with Laura, and Andy and Dale, armed with stones and their jackknives, led the way. The girls might have giggled at being taken up like children, but they were too alarmed to do so.

Just as the headland was passed and Pepper and Jack had deposited their burdens on their feet, Mr. and Mrs. Ford appeared. The gentleman and his wife were greatly excited.

“Didn’t we hear the girls scream?” asked the lady anxiously.

“I guess you did, mamma,” answered Laura.

“We ran into a nest of snakes!” said Flossie. “The boys killed two of them! Oh, it was awful!” And Flossie ran to her mother and caught her by the arm.

“Snakes!” exclaimed Rossmore Ford. “Where?”

The boys pointed out the spot and told what had been done. Mr. and Mrs. Ford were much concerned.

“You had better not climb over any more of the rocks,” said the lady. “It is too dangerous.”

“I don’t think the snakes are poisonous,” said her husband. “Still, I think we had all better try to keep out of their way after this. I did not think there were any on the island.”

“The folks who hold picnics here ought to know about them,” said Jack.

“Well, snakes are to be found almost anywhere where there are rocks,” answered Rossmore Ford. “Come, let us go back to where we left our things. My wife and I were just dozing away with our backs to a tree when we heard the screams. We could not locate them at first and were much worried.”

Knowing that the girls would not care to climb the rocks after such a scare, the cadets walked back to the camping place with the Fords.

“I am glad you knifed that snake, Dale,” said Jack on the way. “It was a brave thing to do.”

“Oh, it wasn’t much,” was the modest reply. “I was once in a camp in the mountains and saw an old hunter do it.”

The party had hardly reached the spot where the campfire had been built when the man who ran the launch appeared.

“Where did you go?” he asked hurriedly of Mr. Ford. “I have been looking all over for you.”

“What do you want, Mr. Fales?”

“I came to see you about the launch. She is gone!”

“Gone!” echoed Rossmore Ford, while the cadets listened with interest.

“Yes, sir—disappeared while I was having dinner. I thought she might have drifted around the shore, but I can’t find her anywhere.”

“Did you tie her fast?” asked Pepper.

“Certainly, I always tie up when I come ashore,” answered Able Fales.

“Let us go down to the shore and take a look around,” suggested Jack.

Wondering over what had become of the boat, the entire party left the picnic grounds and hurried down to the lake front. Here was a small cove where they had landed, and Able Fales pointed out an overhanging tree to which he had secured his craft.

“Even if she got loose I don’t think she’d drift out of the cove,” said the boatman. “There is no current here to carry her out.”

“Well, she is gone, sure,” remarked Andy. He turned to his chums. “What do you make of this.”

“I’d hate to say,” said Dale.

“Then you think it is a trick?” questioned Jack.

“Doesn’t it look like it? Remember the hornets’ nest.”

“Yes, and look there!” exclaimed Andy. “If that isn’t the limit! Yes, it’s a trick all right!”

The acrobatic youth pointed to the tree to which the launch had been fastened. From a cord on the tree hung the hornets’ nest, now empty. Pinned to the nest was a bit of paper. The boys secured the sheet and read the following:

“_Use this nest if you have to stay out all night._”