r limbs.

"We may be less than a mile from the lake, and we may be five times
that distance," said the leader of the club. "I suppose the best
thing to do is to camp where we are."

So it was decided, and once more the tent was hauled forth, and
preparations were made to start a campfire. Whopper and Snap went
to cut the wood. They had just stepped into the bushes when Shep
and Giant heard several wild cries.

"A snake!"

"A dozen of them! This is a regular nest! Run, they are after us!"

And then both boys came running out of the bushes with all possible
speed.

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 shore 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 fai