“The loss of the gun is bad,” said the doctor’s son as they were finishing their toilet.  “For if that crazy fellow has it, it will be so much harder to tackle him.”

“That’s true,” answered Snap.  “Maybe he’ll shoot himself with it—–­if he’s so very crazy.”

“Oh, we’ll not hope that,” murmured Giant.

They took the dead foxes and hung them high up in a tree, intending, if possible, to come for them later and turn the meat over to the captured lion.  Then they pushed forward in the direction of the rocky waterway that connected the two lakes.

“You’ll have to lead,” said Snap to the doctor’s son.  “You’ve been here before.”

“I’ll lead as well as I can,” was the answer.  “But there is no regular trail—–­that is, on the other side of the river.”

The walking now became very rough, and the three young hunters had to proceed slowly.  At times they were in sight of the water, but often their course led them inland for a hundred yards or more.

“These rocks are something fierce!” exclaimed Giant at length, after slipping and sliding several times.

“You beware that you don’t twist an ankle,” cautioned Snap.

Presently they reached a spot where further progress seemed impossible.  Giant and Snap halted and looked at Shep.

Before them was a little hollow, filled with small stones, and beyond were some shelving rocks with large cracks between.  Over the shelving rocks grew heavy masses of vines.

“Don’t drag,” urged the doctor’s son.  “It is getting late.  The sun will be down in another hour.”

“I can’t go any faster,” panted Giant.  All three advanced and tried to climb the shelving rocks by holding on to the vines.  Some of these gave way, and the three boys fell back.  Then from under the rocks came a strange, hissing sound, followed by a curious rattle.

“What’s that?” cried Snap.

“Snakes!” roared the doctor’s son.  “Back for your lives, fellows!  We have struck a den of rattlesnakes!”

CHAPTER XXVI

MORE OF A MYSTERY

There was a wild scrambling on the part of all the young hunters to get out of the zone of danger.  They leaped for the rocks behind them, and Shep and Snap succeeded in mounting to spots of comparative safety.  But Giant was not so successful, and, slipping and sliding, He rolled over and over, coming to a stop when flat on his back.

“Get up! get up!” screamed the doctor’s son.  “Hurry up, Giant!”

Shep and Snap had caught sight of three rattlesnakes, that had glided from between the shelving rocks ahead.  They were all of good size.  One had been caught in the torn-away vines and was hissing viciously, and the other two were sounding their rattles, preparatory to striking at the smaller youth.

Giant did not remain upon his back long.  The instant he landed he started to turn over.  He saw one of the snakes draw near and make a strike at his sockless ankle.  Giant let out a yell like an Indian on the warpath, and, on all fours, made a leap like a frog a distance of several feet.  Then he stood upright and made another leap for the rocks.  As he came close, Snap caught him by the arm and pulled him still higher.