“We stepped right into their nest,” answered Snap.  “First Whopper went into it and then I followed.  That is what made the snakes so mad and made them come right after us.”

“Some of them have gone into the tent,” cried Giant.  “I just saw three of them wriggle under the canvas.”

“And to think all the guns ar ashore!” murmured Whopper.  “What are we to do?”

“Walk ashore and get them,” suggested Snap, with a wink.

“Not for a million dollars!  You do it.”

“Thank you, but I—–­er—–­I’m lame.”

“I guess we are all too lame to go ashore among those snakes,” said Giant, with a short laugh.  “But we have got to do something,” he added, seriously.

“I move we remain on the boat until morning,” said Shep.  “Even if we clear out some of the snakes now, we may not be able to get at all of them.  And who wants to go to sleep with snakes around?  Not I!”

“I couldn’t sleep if I tried,” said Whopper.  “I’d be seeing all kinds of snakes in my dreams!” And he shuddered.

Fortunately they had cooked some extra fish that noon and this food had not been taken from the boat.  They dined on the fish and some crackers, and that was all.  By this time it was night and the tiny campfire was a mere glow of hot ashes.

“We might try the other side of the stream,” suggested Snap.

“There may be snakes there too,” said Giant.  “You can do as you please, I am going to stay on the boat until daylight.”

“But what are you going to do when you get to the lake?  We must camp somewhere?”

“We’ll hunt up a snakeless place in the broad daylight.  The snakes can’t be everywhere.”

There seemed to be no help for it, and having anchored the rowboat in the middle of the stream, the young hunters proceeded to make themselves as comfortable as possible on board.  They had the rubber cloth, and this they propped up on half-raised oars, making a sort of awning.  They had to rest on the hard seats, with boxes and bundles between, and it was anything but comfortable.  They were so close together Giant said it reminded him of sardines in a tin box.  A sound sleep was out of the question, and they slumbered only by fits and starts.

“Now to clear out those snakes,” said Snap, when it was daylight.  “I wonder what we had best do first?”

“I have an idea,” said Shep.  “Let us go to yonder shore and cut some cedar boughs.  We can set them on fire and each take one.  Snakes hate fire, and they’ll be sure to crawl away if we advance with the burning boughs close to the ground.”

The suggestion was deemed an excellent one, and they lost no time in carrying it out.  They got the driest cedar branches possible and set them into a blaze with little trouble.  Then they went ashore with caution, advancing in a semi-circle on the places they thought the snakes must be.

To their amazement not a reptile was in sight!  “Did you ever see the like?” ejaculated Whopper.  “Is this true, or am I dreaming?”