"Look! Can't you see?"

"No, not from where I am," was the reply.

"Oh, it's horrid," whispered Chris; "dreadful! The kegs are lying on a nest of snakes, and they're rising and falling and playing about them like flames round logs of wood."

CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

A FIGHT WITH THE ENEMY.

Griggs uttered one low whistle as he slipped his arm through the rein so as to leave his hands at liberty, one to press back his cowboy's hat, the other to sweep the gathering drops of perspiration from his brow.

"I never could abear snakes," he said huskily. Then after a pause he drew a long, deep breath, to say with an attempt--a very sorry attempt-- at cheerfulness--"Well, we've found the kegs, anyhow."

"Yes," said Chris bitterly, "and where the snakes are."

"Bless 'em, yes!" said Griggs, looking in the direction of the horrible reptiles. "Well, we don't want them."

"But we want the water."

"Of course."

"What's to be done, Griggs?"

"I can't think o' nothing but say _Sh_! to 'em to frighten them away."

"Oh, don't do that," cried Chris, in alarm. "It might make them attack us."

"It might," said Griggs thoughtfully. "Well, I'm about beat. I've got a tidy bit of pluck in me when I'm stirred up--as much as most men have--but I can't stand rattlers. The idea of getting bitten sends a cold chill all down my back. I'd a deal sooner be hugged by a grizzly.

Poison snakes and mad dogs make a regular coward of me."

"They would of anybody," said Chris. "But I say, what is to be done?"

"Sit down and wait, my lad. I s'pose snakes have some sense in 'em, same as other critters. They're bound to find out before long that they can't break the iron hoops nor bore through the staves to get at the water; and when they're tired perhaps they'll give up and go home."

"But we can't wait. Father will be coming soon to see why we're so long."

"Well, he'll be able to see without our telling him."

"But can't we do something to drive them away?"

"I know what I should do if we were in some places," said Griggs.

"Yes! What?"

"Light a big fire of brushwood and green-stuff that would make a stifling smoke just to wind'ard of them. That would soon scare them off."

"But there's not a handful of stuff that would burn," cried Chris, in despair.

"Nary sc.r.a.p, my lad."

"Look here; suppose we creep as near as we dare, and then fire off all four barrels of our rifles as closely together as we could, right at them. That would startle them into moving off."

"P'r'aps," said Griggs; "but the thing would be, which way would they go?"

"Which way? Why, from where the smoke and fire came."

"Maybe, but I shouldn't like to risk it. I'm afraid we shall have to wait, my lad--wait till it's dark. Snakes always go back to their holes when the sun sets."

"But that will take so long, and I'm choking with thirst," cried Chris peevishly. "I say, how would it do to keep on pitching great pieces of stone in amongst them, or handfuls of small bits that would scatter and make a noise?"

"Only make 'em savage, I'm afraid. I should have most faith in putting a pound of powder and laying a train ready, so that one could light a bit of touch-tinder and get away to a safe distance. When that went off with a good explosion, I should think the rattlers would scuttle away."

"Oh, nonsense, nonsense, Griggs!" cried Chris. "Who's to go and lay the train and place the powder ready?"

"Ah, that would be awkward," said the American thoughtfully.

"Besides, if you had such an explosion you'd burst the barrels."

"Hah! So we should. I say, couldn't la.s.so the barrels, could we? I can throw a noose pretty well."

"You'd catch serpent as well as the barrels."

"Yes, and that would be nice, to have a savage rattler thrashing and striking about, trying to get his fangs into you somewhere. Say, Chris Lee, lad, we've got in a tangle. Hallo! I thought as much; here's the doctor."

The gentleman in question rode slowly up.

"Well," he said, "have you found the barrels?"

Chris answered him mutely by pointing to the objects of their search.

"Very well," said the doctor. "Why don't you--Oh, I see, you've just dismounted to sling them across your saddle. We were beginning to think you very long. But I don't see any snakes. Where are they, Chris?"

"Yonder, twining all about the water-kegs, father. It's alive with them."

The doctor shaded his eyes with his hand and looked across at the barrels, his face contracting with horror at the sight which met his eyes.

"No wonder you were so long," he said bitterly. "What do you propose to do?"

"Nothing, father. We can't think of a way," said Chris sadly. "Can you tell us?"

"There seems to be no way save one."

"Wait till the snakes have gone back to their holes, father?"

"Yes, after dark; and then it will not be a pleasant task to get the kegs away. Worse and worse."

"Oh, there can't be anything worse, sir," cried Griggs.