aking no noise.

In a single second his true peril flashed upon him. If he moved the
reptile would strike. He might throw himself suddenly backward, but in
that case if he escaped, the malignant fangs would be buried in the
sleeping Elwood ere he could open his eyes and understand the danger
that threatened him. And he was afraid, too, to speak to him and Tim in
the hope of awaking them. There would be blundering upon their part, and
blundering meant but one thing--death.

Howard looked straight at the serpent's eyes and became conscious of a
strange sensation passing through him. The small, black orbs seemed to
advance, shrink and float away through the air, enchaining his own
vision until the will, which had so vehemently repelled the danger grew
indifferent, and the thought of peril merged into a vague, dreamy
semi-consciousness, which, while it took knowledge of the terrible
reptile, coiled and ready to strike, yet failed to impress the mind with
the energy to withdraw from its terrible power. His blood slowly
chilled, as if vein by vein it froze throughout his person, until from
head to foot the vital current was congealed. At times he strove to
move, or more properly sought, in the mysterious make-up of our
composition, to rouse the will from its torpor, but with the same result
as follows the effort of the sufferer to use his paralyzed limb. The
will seemed to make a feeble twitch or two and then subside, unable to
break the fatal spell spreading over his mind and faculties. The eyes of
the reptile glared upon his own, their bead-like blackness taking the
form of a point of fire waving, floating, gyrating and circling in the
air, doubling in and out in rings of the rainbow's hues, melting away
into the distance, then drifting forward until mingled with his own, up
and down in the same bewildering maze of color and design that visits
the patient when lost in the delirium of fever. And all the time it was
as if the rattlesnake was conscious of the dreadful power he held over
his victim. Its arrowy head and long neck were started silently toward
him, as if threatening instant destruction; and then, like the cat
toying with her victim, it was withdrawn again, and the spell deepened
and increased. A strange whirl passed through the mind of the boy. By a
violent attempt to call in his wandering thoughts he gathered an idea of
the mortal danger impending over him, but he could not centralize his
mental powers.

The b