oint of firing, the reptile disappeared.

"Where is he?"

"He went under the tree roots."

"Maybe he took to the water."

The four young hunters gazed anxiously. Then of a sudden they saw
the snake again. It came up through the tree roots almost at their
feet, hissing more viciously than ever.

CHAPTER XXIII

AFTER MOUNTAIN BROOK MINK

"Shoot him, Whopper!"

Such was the exclamation from all of the others, and in haste the
lad named took hasty aim and pulled the trigger.

The shot was a poor one, the charge merely tearing across the side
of the water snake. With another hiss it whipped around and in a
twinkling had itself curled around Whopper's left leg.

"Hi! take him off! Take him off!" screamed the young hunter, in
terror. "Don't let him bite me!"

Snap sprang forward. His one idea was to save his chum, and he
did not think of his own peril.

"Beware!" cautioned Giant.

Watching his chance, Snap put his foot on the tail of the water
snake. The reptile whipped around wildly and wound itself about
the lower limbs of both boys.

"I'll get a gun!" yelled Shep, and made a dash for the nearest
of the firearms.

"Don't shoot us!" called out Whopper.

Catching up a weapon, Shep came up close and let drive almost in the
face of the water snake. It was a telling shot, and the reptile
whipped wildly this way and that. Then it fell into the water and
was quickly lost to sight.

"Is---is he gone?" gasped Whopper.

"Yes," answered Giant. "Shep finished him."

"That was no joke," said Snap, when he could speak. He was trembling
from head to foot.

"A joke? Well, I reckon not!" spluttered Whopper. "Ugh! It makes
me shiver to think about it."

"Let us get out of here," came from Snap. "Remember, where there
is one snake there may be more."

"Then I am going to quit right now!" cried Shep, and lost no time
in leaving the neighborhood, followed by the others.

The boys concluded that they had had adventures enough for one
day and went back to camp. Here two of the lads set to work to
make a rabbit pot-pie, with dumplings. They had seen such things
made at home and went at the task with care. When the pot-pie
was served all declared it "the best ever." Perhaps the dumplings
were a trifle heavy, but what of that? Living in the open air
had sharpened their appetites wonderfully and nobody was disposed
to quarrel over the meal.

The next day was rather cold and misty and they