Mr. Ralston determined to go and catch the horrid reptile, so he went down to Florida and tried to secure guides.

He had great difficulty in doing so, for the whole country was in terror of the snake, and no one wanted to take the risk of hunting him.

At last Mr. Ralston found men, and landed at the Key.

They found the snake coiled up on the body of a small doe he had caught.  The Indians immediately ran away.  But Mr. Ralston was not in the least afraid, and, boldly approaching, tried to put a bag over the python’s head.

[Illustration]

The reptile avoided the bag, and struck at him, catching its fangs in his coat, and in a moment had twisted its tail around him, and was crushing him to death in its horrid folds.

He shouted for help, but the Indians were at first too scared to come to his aid.  At last one ventured near, and laid hold of the serpent’s tail; and the others helping, they succeeded in unwinding the reptile and getting Mr. Ralston out of its clutches.  He was more dead than alive, but even then would not give up the chase.  As soon as he was sufficiently recovered they started after the python once more.  And two of the Indians managing to engage the creature’s attention, Mr. Ralston slipped the bag over its head, and it was caught.

It struggled desperately for a long time, frightening the whole party nearly out of their wits lest it should get away.  But at last they had it safe; and binding it tightly they carried it off.

G.H.R.

BOOK REVIEWS.

Charles Scribner’s Sons, Fifth Avenue, New York, have sent us one of the most fascinating books to write to THE GREAT ROUND WORLD boys about.

Dan Beard’s American Boy’s Book of Sport.

No one but a boy could have written such a tip-top boy’s book.  Dan Beard is a boy, and has been a boy for thirty or more years, and always will be a boy even if he lives twice thirty years more.  In this book of his he has put a host of good things that we boys need every day.

Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter games; how to play marbles; make and fly kites; make a boat, and sail it, too; how to fish, skate, shoot, and swim, and hundreds of other things are in this book of books—­and all are told as only a boy can tell boys.

It is not filled with impossible games that you never wish to play, impossible kites that you cannot fly, boats that you cannot row or sail, ways of swimming that you cannot learn to swim, or kinds of fishing that you cannot fish, but is just filled cram full, from cover to cover, with just what you will wish to know if you want to keep on being noble, strong, manly boys.

We cannot say all that we would wish to in this short space, but you can find out all about it by writing to Mr. Moffat, care of Charles Scribner’s Sons.  Ask him for a full catalogue.  This will be sent free to any reader of the GREAT ROUND WORLD.