its red tongue in and out, and
showing its vicious fangs!

Before Rob could avoid the creature's attack, it had wrapped itself
around his arm, fastening its fangs into his sleeve.

[Illustration: HE TOPPLED BACKWARD OVER THE BRINK AND PLUNGED DOWN INTO
THE SWIFTLY FLOWING CURRENT BENEATH.]

Rob battled desperately with the reptile, which lashed its tail and
hissed with vicious intonations. The feel of the creature's grip was
loathsome to the boy, and although its fangs had not penetrated his
tough khaki coat, they might do so at any moment.

In the battle Rob backed out of the woods, striving all the time to free
himself, and unconsciously stepped nearer and nearer to the water's
edge. Before he realized his position he toppled backward over the brink
and plunged down into the swiftly flowing current beneath.

Down he went until it seemed he must strike the bottom! But his fall
into the channel had had one good effect. The snake was not gripping his
arm any more. When he shot to the surface he saw it swimming for its
life, but being carried away from the shore.

In fact, the same thing was the case with Rob. The grip of the water
drew him far from the island he had just vacated in such an
unceremonious manner, and hurried him toward the spot of land where
he had seen the boat. Striking out with all his might, the lad fought
the current so as to reach the other island before the water hurried him
past it. It was a hard fight even for a powerful swimmer like Rob. His
clothes encumbered him cruelly, too; but at last, almost exhausted, he
touched bottom and reeled ashore.

For a time he could do nothing but lie there gasping. Had his life
depended on it, he could not have moved hand or foot. But at length his
youthful vitality came to his aid and he rose to his feet to look about
him.

The current had landed him on a part of the beach from which the boat he
had spied was not visible. But he knew in which direction it lay, and
started out for it. As he rounded a small promontory he came upon it, a
heavily-built, rickety-looking old thing, but still a boat.

Rob in his present situation would have taken anything that would
float.

"I'll examine it first and then go hunt up the owner and make a bargain
with him for it," he thought.

With this intention he approached the craft, and the next instant
received one of the cruellest shocks of his life.

The boat was a mere shell, falling to pieces from age and exposur