s now living with you, Ruth," said Jack.

"Oh, yes. And he is very thankful for all you Rovers did for him that
Winter," answered the girl, referring to the happenings which have been
related in detail in "The Rover Boys on Snowshoe Island."

"Here is a different kind of fern," announced Martha, a minute later.

"Let me get it for you!" cried Gif, pressing forward to assist her.

"It's right down there between those big rocks, Gif. Be careful that you
don't push one of the stones over on your fingers."

"Don't ruin the whole island getting up one fern, Gif!" exclaimed Andy,
as the athletic student pushed away a couple of rocks which prevented
his getting at the fern.

There was another rock in the way--one that rested partly over the roots
of the fern, which looked like an unusually healthy plant. Gif tugged at
this rock and Fred bent forward to assist him. Then, all of a sudden,
the rock came out from the split in which it lay, and both cadets
slipped and fell on their backs.

"Oh, do be careful! You'll have one of those rocks on your toes, sure!"
cried Ruth.

She had scarcely spoken when there came a scream from May Powell and
Alice Strobell.

"A snake! A snake!"

"He's coming for us!"

"Run! Run, everybody, before the snake bites you!"

Such were some of the cries that rent the air as all of the young people
fell back.

A black snake at least three feet long had suddenly appeared from a
hollow under the last rock to be dislodged, and this was quickly
followed by a second snake equally large.

"Hit 'em, boys! Hit 'em!" exclaimed Jack, as soon as he had recovered
from his surprise, and as he spoke he caught up a stone and flung it at
the nearest snake.

The action of the oldest Rover boy was quickly seconded by the other
cadets, and a dozen or more stones were hurled at the two snakes. One of
the reptiles was quickly killed, but the second received only a bruise
on its tail, and it switched around angrily and then made a dash toward
the fleeing and screaming girls.

"Gee! if we only had a pistol or a gun!" exclaimed Randy.

The snake still left alive was but a few feet from Martha and Ruth when
Jack and Spouter hurled two more stones. Each of these reached its mark,
and with its back crushed the reptile whipped around on the rocks for a
moment more and then lay still.

"Oh, dear! is it dead?" questioned Martha, and her voice trembled a
little as she spoke.

"Dead as a doormat," announced her br