of the correctness of his words was given by a red mark or two on
the surface of the stone as the writhings ceased and the reptile began
once more to raise itself, quivering slowly till it was rigid, and at
its full height, when without a moment's pause the knife flashed again,
there was a vigorous draw-cut, and the dangerous head dropped with a
loud pat on the stone, leaving the erect neck and body stiffly poised
for a few moments, slowly waving to and fro, before falling like a piece
of stick, and seeming to break as part fell out of sight.

"Bravo!" cried Griggs.

"Ah, my boy! Mind!" cried the doctor.

But before his warning cry was half uttered there had been another flash
as of something glistening in the air, and Chris started back again,
receiving what felt to be a sharp blow in the chest, while a larger
rattlesnake than either of the others dropped back behind the stone and
glided rapidly away.

The doctor had Chris by the arms the next moment.

"Where--where did it strike you?" he cried.

"Here, father--such a thump," said the boy coolly, touching the fold of
his Norfolk jacket with his left hand. "Ugh! Something wet."

He snatched back his hand, to hold it out, for a tiny smear of moisture
to be seen glistening in the sun upon the palm of his hand.

The doctor seized him by the wrist, and then examined the fold of the
jacket.

"Do you feel anything--a prick in the chest?" he said hoarsely.

"No, father. It was a sharp thump, as if some one had thrown a stone."

"Here is the venom on the thick frieze," said the doctor, tearing open
the jacket and examining the thin flannel shirt beneath. "No! Thank
Heaven!" he cried, with a sigh of relief. "The fangs did not go
through. Chris, boy, you have escaped. If the reptile had driven its
fangs deeper, I fear that I couldn't have saved your life."

"That doesn't sound very nice, father," said the boy coolly; but Griggs
noted that he changed colour, and then laid his hands upon his father's
shoulders, after dropping his knife on the ground.

"It was a miss, doctor," said Griggs, breaking the silence, as he
scooped up some of the dried sand and rubbed Chris's hand, and with
another handful dried the fold of the jacket.

This he repeated two or three times, and also paused to look well inside
the fold next the boy's chest.

"Didn't go through, sir; that's for certain," he said. "There'll be no
danger in the poison as soon as it's dried in the sun