can catch the chain with it before
it gets dark?"

"He would have to keep on throwing several times perhaps," said Bourne,
"and bring the snakes swarming out."

"Well I don't know that it would matter much," said Griggs thoughtfully.
"I should be standing perhaps a dozen yards from where the hook kept on
falling, and they'd strike at it and not at me. I shall try it at once,
doctor, for it'll be far better than doing it by lanthorn light."

"Yes," said the doctor thoughtfully; "and at the worst, if the reptiles
swarmed out, we would hurry away till they settled down again."

"Yes," said Griggs, with a quick nod of the head, and a few minutes
later he had his tackle ready, the hook securely tied on, the rope
hanging in coils from his hand, and all ready for the advance.

"I'll go alone, please, and at once," he said sharply. "In ten minutes
it will be getting dusk. Did any one notice whether the chain lay at
the top?"

"Yes," cried Chris sharply; "I did. So that it would be quite easy to
catch."

"Good," cried Griggs, in a satisfied tone. "Then here goes."

"Promise me you'll be careful, Griggs," said the doctor.

"Yes, sir," said the American, smiling, "if you'll strike a bargain."

"What do you mean?"

"Promise me you'll have that stuff ready to give me a strong dose if I'm
bitten."

"Trust me," said the doctor.

"And trust me, sir," cried Griggs.

The next minute he was striding along over the sand in and out amongst
the scattered blocks of stone, and followed by his friends, cautiously
on the alert for any reptiles that might be coiled up asleep.

But it was past their time; the sun had gone down, and the dusk of
evening was rapidly growing into darkness, showing the party that if
they had waited until a lanthorn was necessary there would have been
great difficulty in putting into practice that which in theory sounded
as easy as drawing on a glove.

Not a snake was to be seen when the party halted, following Griggs's
example, and standing about thirty feet behind him, the many blocks of
rugged stone in front completely hiding the place where the barrels lay.

"Can you see any of the enemy?" said the doctor, just loudly enough for
his voice to reach the American's ears.

Griggs turned quickly, shook his head to indicate that the coast was
clear, and then turned back to face his task.

The next minute they saw the deftly-thrown hook flying through the air,
describing a curve, and the rings