Wallace?" asked Paul, seeing that the reader of the
Carberry Twins gave evidence of possessing knowledge along those lines.

"Good for rheumatism, they say," observed Wallace; "athletes also use it
to limber up their limbs. It has a commercial value. Some men make a
business of hunting rattlesnakes pretty much all the year."

"Excuse me from the job then," said Bobolink, making a wry face. "Ugh! I
hate the sight of a snake! Say, you don't think there might be a little
bunch of the nasty scaly monsters left over from the old cripple's hunt,
do you, Paul?"

"I hope we won't run across any," returned the patrol leader, soberly;
"for it's no fun getting struck by the fangs of a rattlesnake. I've
never had that bad luck, and I give you my word I'm not hankering after
an experience, either."

"But then it might happen to one of us," retorted Bobolink; "and as a
wise general I hope you've thought of bringing a gallon or two of strong
drink along. That seems to be the only thing that can save a poor fellow
when he's been jabbed by one of these twisters; anyhow, that's what I've
read about it."

"You're away off then, Bobolink," laughed Paul; "for we haven't a drop
of liquor in camp. There's a better way to counteract a snake bite; and
I intend telling the whole troop when we gather at lunch to-day, as well
as distribute some little packets I made up, under my father's
directions."

"But go on," demanded Jud, "now that you've said so much. If a
rattlesnake jumped out of those bushes there, and gave me a jab on the
leg, how ought I go about it to keep from keeling over? I want to know,
and I ain't from Missouri, either!"

"Well," Paul started to say, "in the first place you ought to know that
no rattlesnake ever jumps out at anybody. At the slightest sign of
danger he coils up, and sounds his policeman's rattle, which is just as
near like the buzzing of a big locust as you can get it."

"Say, that's why they call a policeman's club his locust, ain't it?"
interrupted Bobolink; at which Paul smiled and nodded.

"If you should get excited on hearing this warning, and rush straight at
the snake, not seeing him, why he'd get you. The first thing to do is to
free your leg from all clothing, if he struck you, and tie a bandage
tight above the mark where his fangs hit. Then get down yourself, or if
you have a chum along, and you always will up here, according to the
orders to hunt in pairs, have him suck the wound as hard as he