The sound rang through the forest and then died away, as if the
shouter had been suddenly silenced.

"It's Ben," shouted Frank.

"What can have happened?" gasped Harry.

"He is in trouble of some kind," shouted Billy Barnes.

"Come on, boys," exclaimed Frank, drawing his revolver, "get your
knives ready, we may need all the weapons we have."

They plunged into the forest in the direction from which they judged
the cries had proceeded and after a few minutes pushing through the
dense brush, which greatly hampered their progress, they heard a
tremendous noise of breaking tree limbs and a violent threshing about
as if some huge body was rushing through the woods.

"What can it be?" gasped Frank, his face pale at the sound of the
struggle.

In almost the same breath his question was answered. Pushing aside
some brush the boys saw before them a small glade or clearing.

In the midst of this stood Ben, his face transfixed with horror and
brandishing a seaman's knife.

Facing him, and seemingly about to dart forward, was the largest
serpent they had ever seen; the sunlight checkered its bright colored
folds. Its red tongue darted wickedly in and out as it faced the brave