had been started with a few dry twigs and cedar boughs and cast only
a faint gleam around in the gathering darkness.

"I didn't know snakes could be so active in the dark," observed the
doctor's son.

"We stepped right into their nest," answered Snap. "First Whopper
went into it and then I followed. That is what made the snakes so mad
and made them come right after us."

"Some of them have gone into the tent," cried Giant. "I just saw
three of them wriggle under the canvas."

"And to think all the guns ar ashore!" murmured Whopper. "What are
we to do?"

"Walk ashore and get them," suggested Snap, with a wink.

"Not for a million dollars! You do it."

"Thank you, but I---er---I'm lame."

"I guess we are all too lame to go ashore among those snakes," said
Giant, with a short laugh. "But we have got to do something," he
added, seriously.

"I move we remain on the boat until morning," said Shep. "Even
if we clear out some of the snakes now, we may not be able to get
at all of them. And who wants to go to sleep with snakes around?
Not I!"