the rock, and sat helplessly on the ground watching the frantic
struggles of the creature in the stocking to free itself. Hearing the
laughter, those who had fled at the first alarm came hastening back, and
all promptly went into hysterics when they saw the stocking writhing on
the ground, and all were equally as helpless as Miss Judy and Sahwah.

"Only Tiny Armstrong's stocking!" gasped Miss Judy, wiping away her
tears of merriment with her middy sleeve. "I told her they would cause
a riot in camp!"

Only Miss Peckham did not laugh; she looked crossly around at the
desperately amused girls.

"Oh, Miss Peckham," gurgled Bengal, "you said it reared up and menaced
you with its great, wicked h-head! You said its hood was swelled up with
ferocity and venom, and it hissed sibilantly at you."

Bengal rolled over and over on the ground, shrieking with mirth.

Miss Peckham, her face a dull red, moved off in the direction of the
tent.

Others came up, excitedly demanding to know what the joke was.

"She thought it was a coral snake, and it was Tiny's stocking," giggled
Bengal, going into a fresh spasm.

"Well, what if I did?" remarked Miss Peckham, turning around and looking
at her frigidly. "It's a mistake anybody could easily make, I'm sure."
And she went stiffly up into the tent.