He hated snakes about as much as
he hated anything.
All waited, and while doing so, Dave and Todd took the opportunity to
reload. They were just finishing when Phil, chancing to look behind
them, uttered a yell that would have done credit to an Apache Indian.
"Look out! One of 'em is behind us!"
The others all took his word for it, and leaped to one side. True
enough, a second rattlesnake had appeared, and now a third was coming to
light, from under a rock near by.
"It's a den of rattlers!" screamed Sid Todd. "Run for it, boys! No use
of trying to kill 'em off! They are too many for us!"
The boys were already running at top speed, and the cowboy joined them.
In order to gain the horses, they had to move in a semicircle. When they
reached the animals, they found the steeds exceedingly nervous and
inclined to bolt.
"Reckon they smell the snakes," was Todd's comment. "A hoss ain't got no
use for rattlers--and I ain't nuther," he added, and rode away, with the
boys beside him.
"What about the grouse?" asked Phil, mournfully.
"Do you want to go back after them?" questioned Dave, with a grim smile.
"Not for a thousand dollars!"
"Then I guess we'll have to let the snakes have them," went on Dave.
"Let us be thankful that we weren't bitten.
Pages:
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233