yself, I own up. Let's look around, boys, and locate the thing; but
be mighty careful how you step. I can cure a good many things with
the few little remedies I carry; but excuse me from having to tackle a
regular dose of rattlesnake poison."

"It is a bad thing, I tells ye, lads," asserted Toby Smathers, who had
come along with the rest, even the Indian boy being present. "Many's
the time, years ago, I've seen the Injuns getting poison from a
rattler, so's to make their war arrows more deadly. An' I tells ye, it
war worth watchin'. If so be we kin find this critter, I'll show ye
how 'twas done, if Mr. Scout Master sez so."

"First get your rabbit, before you start to cooking him," laughed Thad.

Just then Giraffe let out a whoop.

"Here he is, all coiled up again, and looking wicked, now, I tell
you!" he called out; and the others rushed in that quarter.

"Well, he is a sorter big un for the mountains, sure enough," admitted
the guide after he had taken a look. "Wait here a bit till I come back
with a piece of deer meat, and I'll show ye how 'twas done. Keep him
riled-up like, but not strikin' too hard at that pole, or he'll empty
his pizen sack on it."

Thad had himself heard more or less about such things; or else read of
them in stories of the old-time Indians, the Iroquois, Delawares,
Shawanees and other tribes who disputed the way of the early pioneers;
and he was just as eager to watch the process as any of the other boys.

The rattlesnake was coiled, just as they always are when danger hovers
near; because, when caught at full length, the reptile is next to
harmless, since it cannot strike and make use of its only means of
defense, its poison fangs.

Thad saw to it that no one approached near enough to be in any danger.
Once the pole was extended by Bumpus, just to show his mates how he had
been baiting the awful looking thing. Instantly that flat head sprang
out toward the object; and as Bumpus adroitly drew it away, remembering
the injunction of the guide, the rattlesnake, finding nothing to strike,
was thrown half its length out of coil. It was almost laughable to see
with what haste it managed to curl up again, and with that rattle
buzzing furiously, seemed to defy anything to touch it.

Then Toby Smathers came hurrying up. He was fastening a piece of
venison (which had been left over several days, and kept well in the
dry mountain air,) to another long pole, which he had secured; not
wishing to ha