“I’ll choose the next one,” declared Harry.  “Rabbit stew for supper wouldn’t go so bad!  It would help out on canned goods.”

“All right, Harry,” responded Arnold.  “We’ll make the limit one rabbit apiece if you don’t mind.  We’ll have a good supper at that.  There’s no use taking home more than we can eat soon.”

“Here’s mine, then,” announced Harry taking quick aim at a fleeing cotton-tail.  “I’ll choose this one right here.”

As a tribute to Harry’s excellent aim the rabbit bounded high in the air and then rolled over and over lying quite still after falling to the earth.  His career had been stopped instantly.

“I hope I can do as well,” was Arnold’s pleased comment.

“There’s your chance,” announced Harry.  “See him?”

“Come here, rabbit,” cried Arnold taking quick aim.

At his shot the rabbit bounded into the air, falling as had Harry’s.  But instead of lying quietly where he had fallen the rabbit struggled and ran limping away.  It seemed impossible for him to go rapidly, however.  He managed to get away just too quickly to be caught.  The boys hastened after their quarry in an effort to end its struggles as much as to secure the game.

Their chase led them to a low spot where rank grass was growing.  The dead stalks of the previous year’s growth were fallen to the earth, making a dense mat of dried stubble.

“Small chance of finding him in here, Harry,” was Arnold’s comment.  “We might as well give it up and go on back to the boat.”

“I don’t like to do that,” protested Harry.  “He might be right under foot for all we know.  Let’s kick around a little.  Why, what’s this?” he continued stooping to pick an object from the ground.  The next moment with a scream he jumped backward.

A great snake had lain directly under his feet but now was coiled in a mass.  Its tail was whirring angrily while the great triangular head waved slowly from side to side.

Fascinated the boy stood as if rooted to the spot.

Arnold was in direct line with Harry between himself and the snake, so dared not shoot.  Harry’s automatic had dropped from his nerveless fingers at the first alarming whir of the vibrating rattles.  Unable to make a sound or move a muscle the lad stood entirely unnerved while the great reptile prepared to strike.

Arnold fired two quick shots from his automatic, hoping to attract the attention of the snake from its intended victim.  His hope was not in vain.  At the sound the snake seemed to hesitate a moment as if undecided what to do.  Evidently its attention had been attracted from Harry.

Elated at his success, Arnold fired twice more, but this time the angry buzzing recommenced.  It seemed as if there was no hope whatever for the lad who stood with the sweat now pouring from his face.  To this day he says that he can distinctly remember a little drop of sweat trickling down his nose and pausing at the tip before it splashed to the earth.  He declares that it seemed a lifetime while he stood there expecting momentarily to feel the deadly fangs dart into his body and leave their fatal poison.