f the left wing. The creature was so
long that its tail passed up over the rounded fuselage and out upon the
other wing. Bob flashed his electric pocket lamp upon it, and by the
yellow and brown mottled spots upon its body and the double plates of
whitish scale at its tale, and the wicked-looking triangular head, they
were sure it must really be a python, one of the most dreaded of
African snakes. These creatures think a monkey a very choice morsel of
food, and undoubtedly it had been attracted to the airplane, while it
stood in the grass, by the appearance of Grandpa in the open cabin
window, but had been frustrated in its designs by the return of the
flyers and the sudden rising of the machine.

Now, with the window shut, the boys seemed safe enough for the present.
They could see that the big snake was extremely uneasy. As the wind
whistled by him, his great tail twisted and untwisted, and he seemed to
be trying to get a better hold on the smooth surface, while his beady
eyes glared at them only a moment in the glow of the flashlight, and
then he transferred his attention to the landscape below them. His
forked fangs darted in and out during this time with the angriest
lightning-like movement.

Paul relieved Tom at the throttle for a few minutes, so that the latter
could have a look at the reptile.

When Tom came back again to his post, he said, with plain uneasiness:
"I never saw such a big snake before, Paul. Between the rush of wind
and the roar of the engine and propeller, he seems scared out of his
wits."

"We've got to get him off of there somehow--and mighty soon, too," put
in John, with decision. "Tom, if that monster should begin to slip a
little most likely he will coil his tail around some of our control
wires,--and then what?"

Their faces blanched at this prospect. They knew what that would mean.
It would mean that the great creature would either operate the
airplane's rudders when they should not be operated, or would prevent
Tom from moving them when they must be moved. In either event, the
result would be disaster to machine and crew.

"Good heavens, boys!" said Tom, so nervous his voice shook, "get rid of
that snake as quick as you can!" He fancied he could see the rear
control levers moving at that instant.

The other three flyers knew the importance of these instructions, but
how were they to carry them out? The reptile was too large to be
shoved off with a stick or pole, and wo