“Oh, Sneak, let’s go!” said Joe, trembling, his face having turned as pale as death while Pete was dashing about in choking agony under the tight folds of the serpent.

“Smash me if I go as long as there’s a snake left!” replied Sneak, striking down another huge racer; but this one, having its back broken, remained stationary.

Thus he continued to strike down the snakes as long as any remained on the field; and, as they became scarce, Joe grew quite valorous, and did signal service.  At length the combat ceased, and not a living serpent could be seen running.

“Sneak, we’ve killed them all—­huzza!” cried Joe, flourishing his rod.

“Yes, but you didn’t do much—­you’re as big a coward as ever.”

“Oh, I wasn’t afraid of them, Sneak,” said Joe; “I was only a little cautious, because it was the first time I ever went a snaking.”

“Yes, you was mighty cautious! if your bridle hadn’t broke, you’d have been home long ago.”

“Pshaw, Sneak!” said Joe; “you’re much mistaken.  But how many do you think we’ve killed?”

“I suppose about a quarter of a cord—­but I’ve heard tell of men’s killing a cord a day, easy.”

“You don’t say so!  But how does it happen so many are found together?  When I go out I can never find more than a dozen or so.”

“There’s a snake den under that clear place,” said Sneak, “where they stay all winter—­but its not as big a den as some I’ve seen.”

“I don’t want to see more than I have to-day!” said Joe, whipping past the steed as they started homewards, having mended his bridle.  But as he paced along by the decayed tree mentioned above, he saw the glistening eyes of the large racer peering from the hole it had entered, and he gave it a smart blow on the head with his rod and spurred forward.  The next moment, when Sneak came up, the enraged serpent sprang down upon him, and in a twinkling wound himself tightly round his neck!  Sneak’s eyes started out of his head, and being nearly strangled he soon fell to the earth.  Joe looked on in amazement, but was too much frightened to assist him.  And Sneak, unable to ask his aid, only turned his large eyes imploringly towards him, while in silence he vainly strove to tear away the serpent with his fingers.  He thrust one hand in his pocket for his knife, but it had been left behind!  He then held out his hand to Joe, and in this dumb and piteous manner begged him to lend him his knife.  Joe drew it from his pocket, but could not brace his nerves sufficiently to venture within the suffocating man’s reach.  At length he bethought him of his pole, and opening the blade thrust it in the end of it and cautiously handed it to Sneak.  Sneak immediately ran the sharp steel through the many folds of the snake, and it fell to the ground in a dozen pieces!  The poor man’s strength then completely failed him, and he rolled over on his back in breathless exhaustion.  Joe rendered all the assistance in his power, and his companion soon revived.