nt on the professor. "None of the
constrictor type of serpents is, though their power to crush their
prey in their folds is enormous. They depend on that power, while the
poisonous snakes kill their prey by the use of their venom. But Ticula
and I are quite friendly.

"My friend, who is writing a book on snakes, asked me to find out
something of how pythons capture their food, and, knowing there would
be plenty of large rats in the vicinity of a camp, on account of the
great food supply there, I came here with my pet snake.

"I suppose I should have secured permission from some officer to let
loose the serpent near one of the buildings, but I forgot all about
it, thinking of the problem I have to puzzle over. I also forgot for
the time being, that you boys were here at Camp Dixton, or I should
certainly have communicated with you and got you to help me.

"But I went at it alone. Pete and I carried the box, with the snake in
it, of course, close to one of the buildings. I did not know until
later that it was the officers' mess hall. Then Pete left me alone."

"How did you manage to get through the sentry lines unchallenged?"
asked Jerry.

"I don't know," frankly answered the professor. "I suppose it was
because no one saw us; or they may have supposed we were bringing some
supplies to one of the officers. Then, there was a sham battle going
on not far away at the time, and that may have taken the attention of
the sentries. Anyhow, I got through the lines, and, opening the box,
let Ticula out to roam about and catch a rat if she could.

"I was crawling around after her, watching her as she went under the
building when suddenly a soldier pounced on me and yelled that I was a
German spy. I was never more surprised in all my life."

Jerry and Bob chuckled.

"I should think you might be!" laughed Ned. "Then what happened?"

"Well, they handled me rather roughly, and took me into custody, as I
suppose it is called. They seemed to think Ticula's box was an
infernal machine. They were very much excited, and I was trying to
explain to them who I was, when Ticula suddenly crawled up through a
hole in the floor in the building where I was being questioned."

"And then there was more excitement, I suppose," said Jerry.

"There was--considerable," admitted the professor. "Then you boys came
in, and--well, it's all over now. But I surely feared for a moment
they might shoot my snake."

"Yes, it was rather a close call,"