the fun as himself.

In spite of a warning cry from Mr. Brown, Fred discharged his revolver,
and the hall struck in the mass of squirming bodies. I saw one huge
monster tear himself loose from the others, and wind his body into
knots, and beat the ground with rage with his tapered tail, while his
hot blood dyed the ground as it gushed forth during his contortions.

"Try another," said Fred, enjoying his own shot.

I also fired, and the same result followed. The wounded snake either
struggled, or else was forced from the mass, and the same bold front
was kept up by the others. The hissing, if possible, was a little
louder, and the eyes of those uninjured flashed brighter, but the mass
did not move forward, or recede from our attack; and it was not until we
had each discharged five barrels of our revolvers that a movement, as
though determined to revenge their loss, was made.

CHAPTER XLII.

FLIGHT FROM THE SNAKES.--ATTACKED BY THE BUSHRANGERS.

Slowly, but in a compact form, did the snakes creep forward, hissing,
and expanding their huge mouths, and darting out their forked tongues,
which quivered like a million of grasshoppers strung upon steel wires,
and exposed to a strong breeze.

"Come back, you--." The rest of the sentence was inarticulate, but I
think it sounded like "fools."

We glanced at the inspector, and found that he was in full retreat with
the horses, evidently being disposed to be on the safe side.

"Let us give them one more shot, and be off," said Fred.

He was about to carry his words into effect, when a thought suddenly
struck me, and I lowered my revolver.

"Fred," I said, "did you put your powder flask in your pocket?"

"No, for I supposed that you did," he replied.

"Then let me advise you to reserve your fire, for we have but one shot
each, and it is a long way to camp."

I had hardly delivered the caution, when we found that it was full time
to beat a retreat. The snakes, still showing signs of anger, had crept
to within ten yards of us, and I thought, from a hasty observation, that
they were preparing to separate, and make a spring.

"Now, then, for a run!" cried Fred; and we turned our backs upon our
enemies, and started towards the horses as fast as our legs could carry
us.

I glanced over my shoulder to see what action the snakes were taking,
and to my horror I found that they had separated, and were pursuing us
with inconceivable rapidity. Their huge heads were ra