ried Chris, in
despair.

"Nary scrap, my lad."

"Look here; suppose we creep as near as we dare, and then fire off all
four barrels of our rifles as closely together as we could, right at
them. That would startle them into moving off."

"P'r'aps," said Griggs; "but the thing would be, which way would they
go?"

"Which way? Why, from where the smoke and fire came."

"Maybe, but I shouldn't like to risk it. I'm afraid we shall have to
wait, my lad--wait till it's dark. Snakes always go back to their holes
when the sun sets."

"But that will take so long, and I'm choking with thirst," cried Chris
peevishly. "I say, how would it do to keep on pitching great pieces of
stone in amongst them, or handfuls of small bits that would scatter and
make a noise?"

"Only make 'em savage, I'm afraid. I should have most faith in putting
a pound of powder and laying a train ready, so that one could light a
bit of touch-tinder and get away to a safe distance. When that went off
with a good explosion, I should think the rattlers would scuttle away."

"Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Griggs!" cried Chris. "Who's to go and lay the
train and place the powder ready?"

"Ah, that would be awkward," said the American thoughtfully.

"Besides, if you had such an explosion you'd burst the barrels."

"Hah! So we should. I say, couldn't lasso the barrels, could we? I
can throw a noose pretty well."

"You'd catch serpent as well as the barrels."

"Yes, and that would be nice, to have a savage rattler thrashing and
striking about, trying to get his fangs into you somewhere. Say, Chris
Lee, lad, we've got in a tangle. Hallo! I thought as much; here's the
doctor."

The gentleman in question rode slowly up.

"Well," he said, "have you found the barrels?"

Chris answered him mutely by pointing to the objects of their search.

"Very well," said the doctor. "Why don't you--Oh, I see, you've just
dismounted to sling them across your saddle. We were beginning to think
you very long. But I don't see any snakes. Where are they, Chris?"

"Yonder, twining all about the water-kegs, father. It's alive with
them."

The doctor shaded his eyes with his hand and looked across at the
barrels, his face contracting with horror at the sight which met his
eyes.

"No wonder you were so long," he said bitterly. "What do you propose to
do?"

"Nothing, father. We can't think of a way," said Chris sadly. "Can you
tell us?"

"There seems