t is it?"

"Let us take our fishing rods and tie one fast to another. Then we can
turn the boat around and go fishing on the rocks for our clothes."

"That's the talk," rejoined Powell. "A good idea, Fred."

Three of the rods were pieced together, making a fishing pole over
thirty feet long. The boat was then swung around, and while two kept
the craft in place the others went fishing for the clothing.

The task was not so easy as it looked, and the snakes whipped around
and hissed in a most alarming fashion. More than once they had a coat
or other garment on the pole only to drop it again. But they persevered
and soon had everything on board but Fred's shirt and one of Tom's
shoes.

"Here comes the shirt," cried Tom, at last, and landed the garment in
the bow of the rowboat.

"And a snake with it!" screamed Sam. "Look out, everybody!"

Sam was right, the snake was there and in a trice was whipping around
under the seat.

"Stamp on him, Fred!" cried Tom, and Garrison, who had his shoes on,
did so. Then Tom caught the reptile by the tail and flung it into the
lake.

After this there was but little trouble in getting the remaining shoe,
and with this aboard they sent the rowboat out into the lake and lost
no time in finishing their dressing.

"This was a truly horrible experience," was Sam's comment, after the
excitement had died down. "Gracious, I feel as if the snakes were
crawling around me this minute!"

"Don't say that," said Fred with a shudder. "You make me feel as if
there was another snake in my shirt."

"The best thing to do is to forget the snakes," put in Songbird Powell.
"Let us row around to the other side of the lake."

All were willing, and soon the vicinity was left far behind. Then they
came to where a fair sized brook flowed into Bass Lake, and here they
came to anchor and began to fish, while Powell took several
photographs.

"I have always found it good fishing near a brook like that," said Tom.
"The fish come around looking for food from the brook."

Tom's remark was evidently true, for in less than an hour each of the
boys had a good sized string of fish to his credit.

In the excitement of the sport the cadets forgot all about the
adventure with the snakes, nor did they pay much attention to the
flight of time until Fred Garrison glanced at his watch.

"Gee Christopher!" he ejaculated.

"What time is it?" asked Powell.

"Half-past four."

"And we promised to be back at fiv