on a large island on
which there was a high mound. Hundreds of white herons and various other
kinds of birds were nesting in the trees, and there were a good many
ducks about. We shot some of the herons and cut off the long hair-like
plumes, but the flesh was strong and unpalatable. The ducks, however,
were very good.

"'We camped on the mound, which was much higher than the rest of the
island, and decided to stay there for a day or two. While putting up the
tent I saw something shine, and picked up a silver coin which had
evidently been worn as a medal, as one edge had been flattened and a
hole pierced in it. There was no date, but it was evidently very old.

"'That day we tried fishing, and shot several ducks. We had but one
shot-gun, so took turns with it at the ducks.

"'That evening Jim produced an old pack of cards from his pocket and
suggested a game of poker. My luck went against me from the beginning,
and when we stopped playing I had lost fully two-thirds of my share. The
next morning I awoke feeling remorseful and sulky, and demanded that Jim
play another game to give me a chance to get even. He assented readily
enough, but my bad luck continued, and in an hour I had lost all of my
money and had nothing left to bet. Jim got up, taking the gun, and went
down to the boat to repair a leak which had bothered us the day before.
I sat on a log, inwardly raging and cursing myself for my foolishness.
The rifle was leaning against the log near me, and involuntarily I took
it and dropped the lever to see if it was loaded. It was empty, and the
hammer moved back and forth at the touch of my finger. Evidently the
spring was broken. But how? Why? I felt in my pocket for my revolver
with feverish haste. Gone. Then I understood!

"'I rose and walked slowly down the slope of the mound, and nearly
stepped on a large rattlesnake which lay coiled up beside a palmetto
root. I looked at the snake as he lay there watching me, rattling
angrily all the while, and then I looked at Jim's coat which hung on a
branch near by, and at the doctored rifle in my hand, and the more I
looked the more wicked thoughts came into my mind. I glanced towards
Jim; he was apparently busy with the boat, and I could just see the top
of his back as he bent over. I hastily fastened one of the dead herons
to a stick and held it in front of the snake, which immediately struck
it in the breast, and then uncoiled and slowly retreated into the scrub.
Taki