ATTACKED IN FRONT AND RKAR. 



37 



that he had flung upon it. One of the branches appeared to be twisting fiercely, 

 but only for a second or two, when it shriveled into nothingness, losing its indi- 

 viduality in a twinkling. 



" I never suspected that" said Dick to himself, as he recognized in the strange- 

 looking stick a serpent that had lain among the last pieces of wood he had tossed 



TlIK (io\ 



on the flames, "but there is no telling when you run against those creatures in this 

 part of the world." 



The snake, which was no more than a couple of feet in length, could not have 

 been in the pile of wood when the natives gathered the fuel, since it would have 

 made its presence known; but it had probably crawled there to enjoy the heat of the 

 camp-fire, just as the cobra some nights before had sought the warmth of Dick's body. 



