life out of him; but by cutting off
the tail, he separated the body from the tree which formed the
fulcrum upon which it acted. As swiftly as they had enclosed him
the coils fell from Ned, a writhing mass upon the ground; and a
second blow from Tom's sword severed the head from the body. Even
now, the folds writhed and twisted like an injured worm; but Tom
struck, and struck, until the fragments lay, with only a slight
quivering motion in them, on the ground.

Then Tom, throwing down his cutlass, raised Ned; who, upon being
released from the embrace of the boa, had fallen senseless. Alarmed
as Tom was at his comrade's insensibility, he yet felt that it was
the shock, and the revulsion of feeling which caused it, and not
any serious injury which he had received. No bones had been heard
to crack and, although the compression had been severe, Tom did not
think that any serious injury had been inflicted.

He dashed some water from the skins over Ned's face, rubbed his
hands, spoke to him in a loud voice, and ere long had the
satisfaction of seeing him open his eyes.

"Thank God!" Tom exclaimed fervently. "There, don't move, Ned. Take
it quietly. It's all right now. There, drink a little water."

He poured a few drops down Ned's throat, and the latter, whose eyes
had before had a dazed and wondering expression, suddenly sat up
and strove to draw his sword.

"Gently, Ned, gently. The snake is dead, chopped up into pieces. It
was a near shave, Ned."

Chapter 14: On the Pacific Coast.

"A close shave, indeed," Ned said, raising himself with difficulty
from the ground. "Another moment, and I think my ribs would have
given in. It seemed as if all the blood in my body had rushed to my
head."

"Do you feel badly hurt?" Tom asked, anxiously.

"No," Ned said, feeling himself all over. "Horribly bruised, but
nothing broken. To think of our not seeing that monstrous boa!

"I don't think," he continued, "that I can walk any farther today.
I feel shaken all over."

"Then we will camp where we are," Tom said cheerfully. "We have got
a stag, and he will last us for some days, if necessary. There is
plenty of fruit to be picked in the forest, and on this mountain
side we are sure to be able to find water, within a short
distance."

Lighting a fire, the deer was soon cut up, and the lads prepared to
spend a quiet day; which was all the more welcome inasmuch as, for
the last three weeks, they had traveled without i