nster.

Then came the sharp report as Frank pulled the trigger. He instantly
jumped back, and by a rapid motion of his hand sent another cartridge
into the chamber, the clever mechanism of the gun proving that it was
built so as never to fail in an emergency.

Andy had accompanied his chum in that backward movement; but never for
an instant did he remove his eyes from the strange spectacle that was
taking place there in front of them both.

Undoubtedly the well aimed bullet had crashed through the fearful head
of the suspended anaconda. Instantly it released its many coils above,
and a tremendous length of writhing snake could be seen whipping over
the ground. Nothing in the way of small vegetation could stand in the
path of those powerful springy coils, as they shot this way and that.

"Oh! my!" gasped the astounded Andy, as he moved farther back, so as to
avoid any chance contact with the flying destructive force that was
leveling everything in the glade for twenty feet around. "Did you ever
see anything to equal that? Talk to me about your harvesting machines,
here's one that's got 'em all beat to a frazzle. Ain't he ever going to
give up the ghost, Frank? Guess these anacondas must have the nine lives
of a cat!"

"Well," remarked Frank, "you must have forgotten that among boys it's
said that a snake won't die till sundown. I've seen one's tail wiggle
hours after we thought the thing was stone dead. There, he's moving off
into the forest, and a good riddance. While I'd like to measure the
serpent just from curiosity, we've got no time to waste waiting for him
to kick the bucket."

"That's right," assented Andy. "And as for going anywhere near such a
whirlwind, you'd have to excuse me."

They watched the dying anaconda gradually vanish in the depth of the
forest; and both boys were glad that it had turned out that way, since
they were anxious to depart from the place.

"Don't I wish I'd had my little camera along, so I could have snapped a
shot at that dandy chap! The fellows would believe me then, when I told
about what happened to us here. And anyway, Frank, I don't think we'll
forget this camp, do you?"

"Well, hardly," replied his chum, smiling broadly. "Because we've sure
had enough happen to us here to make us remember. But I'm glad to find
there's going to be more space for the run than I thought at first."

"We'll need every inch of it," declared Andy, as he looked dubiously at
the tops of the lowe