Chris made an offer, as boys call it, cutting horizontally from his left shoulder, the knife flashing in the sunshine as it _whished_ through the air, pa.s.sing inches from the snake's neck; but the motion of the air affected the reptile, which winced, dropped flat to the stone, and began to writhe frantically.

"Be careful, Chris; there's a great deal of life in it yet."

"That was only a try, father," replied the boy; "I didn't try to cut it.

I will, though, now," he continued, as the writhing ceased; but the battered head began to rise again slowly and steadily in the air till it was at its greatest elevation, and seemed to be kept up by a stiffening of the whole body.

Meanwhile, watching it carefully, the boy had advanced his foot a few inches till he felt that he was in exact striking distance, when there was another bright flash of rays reflected from the glistening blade, as the cut was made and the snake dropped down again upon the stone, for the writhings to recommence.

"Missed him?" cried Griggs excitedly.

"No; I just touched him with the point," said Chris coolly. "I wasn't quite near enough."

Proof of the correctness of his words was given by a red mark or two on the surface of the stone as the writhings ceased and the reptile began once more to raise itself, quivering slowly till it was rigid, and at its full height, when without a moment's pause the knife flashed again, there was a vigorous draw-cut, and the dangerous head dropped with a loud pat on the stone, leaving the erect neck and body stiffly poised for a few moments, slowly waving to and fro, before falling like a piece of stick, and seeming to break as part fell out of sight.

"Bravo!" cried Griggs.

"Ah, my boy! Mind!" cried the doctor.

But before his warning cry was half uttered there had been another flash as of something glistening in the air, and Chris started back again, receiving what felt to be a sharp blow in the chest, while a larger rattlesnake than either of the others dropped back behind the stone and glided rapidly away.

The doctor had Chris by the arms the next moment.

"Where--where did it strike you?" he cried.

"Here, father--such a thump," said the boy coolly, touching the fold of his Norfolk jacket with his left hand. "Ugh! Something wet."

He s.n.a.t.c.hed back his hand, to hold it out, for a tiny smear of moisture to be seen glistening in the sun upon the palm of his hand.

The doctor seized him by the wrist, and then examined the fold of the jacket.

"Do you feel anything--a p.r.i.c.k in the chest?" he said hoa.r.s.ely.

"No, father. It was a sharp thump, as if some one had thrown a stone."

"Here is the venom on the thick frieze," said the doctor, tearing open the jacket and examining the thin flannel shirt beneath. "No! Thank Heaven!" he cried, with a sigh of relief. "The fangs did not go through. Chris, boy, you have escaped. If the reptile had driven its fangs deeper, I fear that I couldn't have saved your life."

"That doesn't sound very nice, father," said the boy coolly; but Griggs noted that he changed colour, and then laid his hands upon his father's shoulders, after dropping his knife on the ground.

"It was a miss, doctor," said Griggs, breaking the silence, as he scooped up some of the dried sand and rubbed Chris's hand, and with another handful dried the fold of the jacket.

This he repeated two or three times, and also paused to look well inside the fold next the boy's chest.

"Didn't go through, sir; that's for certain," he said. "There'll be no danger in the poison as soon as it's dried in the sun."

"None whatever, I should say," replied the doctor. "There, let's get away from this horrible place. I don't know how we're going to get those kegs again. The danger seems too great."

"Not after dark, sir," said Griggs coolly. "We must have 'em though, and I'm going to do it somehow, cost what it may."

The next minute they had mounted and were riding slowly back to where the others were about to come in search of them, in alarm at their prolonged absence.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

DRY FISHING.

There was a short, sharp council of ways and means held in the soft evening light which bathed the sterile rocky plain and the distant mountainous land with a weird beauty, that made those who gazed around feel a sensation of wonder, that nature could spread such a mask over a scene whose aspect to the adventurers was full of the horrors of thirst, and death by the stroke of the venomous reptiles.

Close at hand, and showing no disposition to stray, were the horses and the mules, with their coats bristling with dried sweat, and the dust through which they had travelled.

Their packs remained untouched, for every one felt that it was impossible to stay where they were, while before starting afresh water was an absolute necessity--a draught each to allay the feverish thirst, and the contents of one keg carefully divided so that about a pint each could be given to the wearied beasts.

"But there must be water somewhere near on that higher ground," said Wilton excitedly, and the doctor noted that his eyes looked bloodshot and wild. "Here, I tell you what; I'll take our bearings and ride off to see what I can find, and then come back."

"No," said the doctor, "it is impossible. Look at your horse: he cannot carry you right up yonder for miles upon miles in the state he is in."

"Then I must walk," cried Wilton impetuously.

"You would break down before you had been gone an hour," said the doctor, "and we should have to search for you and bring you back."

"Oh! give me credit for a little more strength and determination, sir,"

said Wilton petulantly. "We must have water, and it is to be found up yonder in the hills. What do you say, Bourne?"

"I agree with you that water may be found yonder, but we must keep together. Our party is small enough as it is; we must not make it less by letting one of our most active members break away."

"Then what are we to do?" cried Wilton, and the boys' lips moved as if they echoed his words.

"We must wait till dark, and then get the kegs. After the whole party is refreshed, we must strike up into the hills at once and search the valleys till we find a fall or spring, but on no account must we separate."

So spoke the doctor, but Wilton was in no humour for obeying orders.

"I think you are wrong," he cried.

"Well," replied the doctor stiffly, "you have a right to think so, but you might as well bear in mind that you have sworn to obey orders, that I was elected to be chief of this expedition, and that it is your duty to obey--in reason."

"Do you want to quarrel?" cried Wilton, clapping his hand to his revolver-holster.

"Certainly not with a man half mad with thirst," said the doctor quietly. "Come, Wilton, be reasonable."

"Reasonable! Are we not all half dead with thirst?"

"Suffering, not half dead," replied the doctor, who noted that Bourne and Griggs had moved a little nearer to their angry companion. "Now, look here, we want your cool consideration of our position. We have water a few hundred yards away."

"What! Where?"

"In the kegs, which lie where I told you."

"Oh, there!" cried Wilton contemptuously. "We don't want that, but some big clear flowing spring such as I offer to risk my life to find."