whose ways were dark.

The night was warm and soon after supper the Rangers threw themselves
down on the ground wrapped in their blankets. In view of the fact that
the whole party might be called out all turned in early. The men had
barely closed their eyes when suddenly there sounded the menacing hiss
of a rattler right among them.

"Look out!" yelled Polly, jumping up.

"What is it?" cried half a dozen voices, as their owners sprang up
with drawn weapons.

"There's a rattler in camp. Get a torch, somebody!"

Tad, who had snatched an ember from the dying campfire, was poking about
cautiously, the torch in one hand, a club in the other ready to
dispatch the reptile on sight. The Ranger who had been on guard duty
hurried in upon hearing the uproar. He said he had heard a snake just
after leaving the camp. The men jeered when they saw Stacy half way up
a small tree, peering down at them with scared eyes.

"Afraid of the snake, eh, Bugs?"

"No, I'm not afraid of any snake. I just thought I'd get out of your
way so you could work better."

The men jeered again. Morgan stepped over and gave the tree a shake,
whereat the fat boy came sliding down to the ground. The search for
the reptile was a fruitless one. After a time the Rangers turned in
again. They had not been rolled in their blankets more than five
minutes when that same fearsome, trilling hiss smote their ears again.
This time the men were mad. They declared they'd find the "pizen
critter" before ever they turned in again.

"Pile on some wood. We've got to have light here," ordered the captain.
"Where was he?"

"That's what we're trying to find out, Captain. It isn't any easy
matter to locate a sound like that. The critter may be 'most anywhere."

"Have---have you looked in your pockets?" stammered Stacy.

"Yes, maybe he's crawled in your clothes to get warm," grinned Tad.

"Oh, close up!" growled a tired Ranger.

"I was just trying to help you," answered Chunky indignantly. "You
needn't get mad about it."

"No, don't grouch," laughed the captain. "We are losing too much time
as it is. Better roll in your blankets and go to sleep. The fire
will drive the fellow away."

Some of the men tried to sleep standing, leaning against trees. Others
took the chance and rolled in their blankets. But there was little
rest in the camp that night. About the time the men had settled down,
they would be awakened to their surroundings by that