14 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
nearest. The rattler comes to know the route the worker is 
going to pursue as well as he does, and is wise and cautious 
enough to see to it that their paths never cross. Proof of this 
is to be found in the fact that when a new man is put on the 
job, disregarding the order of travel of the one he succeeded, 
he will encounter them. Occasionally one or more helpers is 
assigned to help the regular man, which throws the reptiles 
into a state of confused mind—they commence crawling, feel¬ 
ing that for them to get out of the area altogether is the safe 
thing to do. This leads to their detection. He works himself 
into a situation he did not anticipate—gets caught in between 
two workers—a predicament he was striving desperately to 
avoid. 
So greatly do men fear this fellow that they do not take 
time off to frequent his haunts, thus cultivating a better ac¬ 
quaintance with him. Most men shun places where he is likely 
to be encountered. Both exercise the greatest endeavors never 
to meet. Yet, the rattler is, by nature, a very peace-loving sort 
of fellow—his one desire is for peace, so long as peace can be 
had on terms compatible with his dignity. He seldom invades 
cultivated fields, particularly during their period of cultivation, 
and he is slow to venture about man’s premises unless the pang 
of hunger is prodding him. He knows the danger between 
men and women—not hesitating to come about the place and 
commit depredations when he discovers the fact that same is 
guarded only by female members of the family—seems to 
realize that their fear and inherent weakness will guarantee 
him a wider berth should he get caught at his nefarious work 
in or about the barnyard. Seeing that he and man are destined 
to live in the same world together, he makes a division of the 
territory, but allots to man that portion best suited to his needs. 
If a man elects to cultivate the high, dry land, then he will 
accept without protest such places as may be left to him. Pond 
land, rough fence rows full of briars, abandoned areas, he 
finds quite sufficient for his needs, but when man permits his 
dog to trespass upon his territory, harrying his rabbits and 
driving them into other areas, then a fight will sooner or later 
take place, and a most bully fight it will be, provided the dog 
