reeted
their eyes and Perk in particular stared with all his might, taking in
the flowers that festooned many of the trees--palmetto, live-oaks, wild
plum, gumbo limbo, and queer looking cypress, with their cumbersome
butts rising several feet from the ooze in which they grew. Most of the
trees were festooned with long trailing banners of gray Spanish moss
that gave them a most unusual appearance.

Since it was Perk's first hand knowledge concerning the looks of a
genuine Southern swamp, he felt justified in making frequent halts in
order to gaze and wonder. Particularly was he impressed with the giant
alligator that had been sunning himself on a half-submerged log and had
slid off with a splash at their approach, also the multitude of water
moccasins to be seen on stumps and other objects, looking most vicious
with their checkered backs and dusty bellies.

"You want to take particular notice of those dirty looking boys," Jack
told him in a low tone, pointing to a bunch of the reptiles as he spoke,
"for they are water moccasins, cowardly enough, but always ready to give
you a sly stab and I've been told they are so poisonous that even if a
man didn't die after being struck, his wound would never heal properly
and his life become a burden to him. Give the critters a wide berth
always, partner."

"Huh! you jest better believe I will, Jack--never did care much for
snakes, even the harmless kinds an' I'd jump three feet in the air when
out West, if ever I heard a locust buzz, thinkin' it must be a rattler.
Me an' the crawlin' breed don't mix, that's what."

Hardly three minutes after Perk had given expression to his dislikes,
Jack caught him by the arm and with a trace of excitement that was
really foreign to his nature, pointed to some object close to the trail
they were following.

"Jeru-salem crickets!" gasped Jack, possibly a bit louder than
discretion would warrant but Jack felt there was some measure of excuse
for his outburst.

There a monstrous diamondback rattlesnake, fully five feet long and as
thick through the body as a good-sized man's thigh, had just raised its
enormous flat head and opened its jaws to display its terrible fangs.
Even as the two stood there and stared, the rattle began to whirr its
deadly warning.

"It's all right, Perk," said Jack soothingly, not certain what the
effect of so dangerous a neighbor might have upon his sensitive pal, "we
can pass him by out of reach. A rattler, unless m