“Werry bad further on,” answered Cujo.  “See, here am de trail,” and he pointed it out.

Several miles were covered, when they came to a halt in order to rest and to give Aleck a let up in carrying Tom.  The youth now declared his foot felt much better and hobbled along for some distance by leaning on Sam’s shoulder.

Presently they were startled by hearing a cry from a distance.  They listened intently, then Cujo held up his hand.

“Me go an’ see about dat,” he said.  “Keep out ob sight, all ob you!” And he glided into the bushes with the skill and silence of a snake.

Another wait ensued, and Tom improved the time by again bathing his foot in a pool which was discovered not far from where Cujo had left them.  The water seemed to do much good, and the youth declared that by the morrow he reckoned he would be able to do a fair amount of walking if they did not progress too rapidly.

“But what a country this is!” he murmured.

I declare they could burn wood night and day for a century and never miss a stick.”

“I thought I heard some monkeys chattering a while ago,” answered Sam.  “I suppose the interior is alive with them.”

“I dun see a monkey lookin’ at us now, from dat tree,” observed Aleck.  “See dem shinin’ eyes back ob de leaves?” He pointed with his long forefinger, and both, boys gazed in the direction.  Then Tom gave a yell.

“A monkey?  That’s a snake!  Look out for yourselves!”

He started back and the others did the same.  And they were none too soon, for an instant later the leaves were thrust apart and a serpent’s form appeared, swaying slowly to and fro, as if contemplating a drop upon their very heads!

CHAPTER XX

THE FIGHT AT THE OLD FORT

For the instant after the serpent appeared nobody spoke or moved.  The waving motion of the reptile was fascinating to the last degree, as was also that beady stare from its glittering eyes.  The stare was fixed upon poor Tom, and having retreated but a few feet, he now stood as though rooted to the spot.  Slowly the form of the snake was lowered, until only the end of its tail kept it up on the tree branch.  Then the head and neck began to swing back and forth, in a straight line with Tom’s face.

The horrible fascination held the poor, boy as by a spell, and he could do nothing but look at those eyes, which seemed to bum themselves upon his very brain.  Closer and closer, and still closer, they came to his face, until at last the reptile prepared to strike.

Crack!  It was Sam’s pistol that spoke up, at just the right instant, and those beady eyes were ruined forever, and the wounded head twisted in every direction, while the body of the serpent, dropping from the tree, lashed and dashed hither and thither in its agony.  Then the spell was broken, and Tom let out such a yell of terror as had never before issued from his lips.