BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! 



343 



was oscillating its head in accord with the swing of his humming sounds. The 

 music was producing its effect and he was " keeping time." 



Dick sang a little louder ; the hooded head rose higher and the serpent moved 

 from the blanket out upon the smooth ground. 



A cold chill ran through the lad at the fear that the reptile was about to ap 

 proach his head. He was sure he could not stand any advance of that nature. 



But, fortunately, instead of doing so, it slowly crept away from him, until it was 

 in plain sight in the moonlight which poured through the door. It did not leave 

 the hut, but coiling and uncoiling, raising and lowering its head, it showed that it 

 was pleased by the low, monotonous music which came from between the lips of the 

 boy whose eyes were fixed upon his strange visitor. 



Once more the latter began moving his right hand toward his hip pocket. The 

 snake offered no objection, seemingly now wholly occupied with his enjoyment of 

 the strange entertainment. The latter continued unchanged, except perhaps there 



was a slight addition 

 of vigor, when the 

 lad's hand grasped the 

 butt of his revolver 

 and he began slowly 

 drawing it forth. Still 

 the singing went on as 

 the lad brought the 

 weapon to a level and 

 carefully sighted at 

 the reptile. 



"I think I can 

 pink you," was Dick's 



thought, as he pointed 

 with an arm as rigid 

 as iron at the hooded 

 head, and held it thus 

 until he could make 

 his aim sure; "at any 

 rate, if I miss the first 

 time, I'll give you the 

 contents of all the 

 chambers, and you 

 may think, if hurt, 

 that it is a part of the 



Music's CHARMS. 



music." The humming continued, and the head gently undulated in time, the 

 snake coiling and uncoiling in a curious iashion. once going so near the door that the 



