he cheek with the back of his
head as he shook himself loose, and I didn't stop to give him another
chance. But you did bring that down smart, and no mistake. Let's look
at the end."

He took hold of the pole and examined the place where the two nails had
been driven in to form the fork.

"Yes," he said, thoughtfully. "I was beginning to be afraid of that--
see here. This nail's regularly bent down, and it opened the fork out
so that when he snapped himself like a cart-whip he shook himself clear.
Know better next time. I'll get a bit of iron or an old pitchfork, and
cut the tines down short on purpose for this sort of game, Master
George. Ah, would you?" he shouted, as he made a dart for where the
snake was feebly writhing itself toward the undergrowth, and catching it
by the tail snatched it back to lie all together, writhing slowly.
"Wait till I find my knife. Oh, here it is," he said. "No. Never
mind, give me yours. I'll look afterwards. Dropped it when I rolled
over yonder."

I took out my knife and opened it.

"Oh, I say, my lad, don't look so white. Wern't 'fraid, were you?"

"Yes," I said, huskily. "I could not help being frightened."

"Not you," said Morgan, roughly; "you wasn't half frightened, or you
wouldn't have done what you did. Now then, my gentleman, you're never
going to bite and kill any one, so--there--and there!"

As he spoke he placed one foot a few inches from the rattlesnake's head,
the creature opening its mouth and making a feeble attempt to bite, but
the next moment my keen knife had divided the neck, and Morgan picked up
the piece.

"Now look ye here, Master George, I shouldn't wonder if this gentleman's
got two sharp teeth at the top here like an adder has at home. They're
the poison ones, and--yes, what did I tell you?"

He laughed as he opened the creature's wide mouth with the blade of the
knife, and drew forward two keen-looking fangs, to show me.

"There you are," he said. "Just like adders', only theirs is little
tiny things just like a sharp bit of glass, and they lay back in the
roof of their mouths so that you have to look close to see 'em."

"Throw the horrible poisonous thing away," I said.

"Yes; we'll pitch it all together in the river. Some big alligator will
think it's a fine worm, and I hope he'll like it. One moment; I must
find my knife."

He threw down the rattlesnake's head, and then said thoughtfully--

"No; let's take it up to the hous