66 
CREATURES OF MYSTERY 
tirely circling it. The ground surrounding this section of the 
fence was completely covered with briars, grass, broomsedge, 
volunteer plum shrubs and sumac. As a precautionary meas¬ 
ure, and to reassure himself that he had the rattler placed defi¬ 
nitely within the small area, he made two or three trips around 
the spot, returning to the trail he had followed. Finding no 
trail leading away from the locality where he was confident he 
would be found, he commenced his painstaking search, and a 
painstaking search it later proved to be. Over and over the 
same patch of ground he peered, combing every square inch 
of it with a stick, up one side of the fence and then down the 
other, then returning to the starting point and repeating the 
process. Many times he would have abandoned the search as 
hopeless, had he not known positively that the reptile was 
tucked away in a concealed corner, observing his every move 
with black, beady eyes. Like the professional soldier who 
makes the terrain of the country aid him in fighting the battle, 
when Uncle Dave has one cornered, he is often called upon to 
abandon all strategy formerly employed and to adopt wholly 
different tactics, all depending upon the “lay of the land.” The 
nerves of the average man would, just at this junction, have 
failed him completely and he probably would have fled the 
scene, but not so with one so skilled in his art as this old gen¬ 
tleman whose nerves have been long tempered for just such 
occasions. Finally, out of patience, he mumbled to himself, 
“Well, I reckon I will find you.” So, selecting a small pole, 
he mounted the topmost rail of the fence. Walking along 
slowly, looking directly down upon the ground, searching every 
inch of it until he finally located him. The serpent had stretched 
himself along by the side of the bottom rail. It was flat and 
partially buried in the soft dirt so that he was lying as much 
upon the rail as upon the ground. The rail having gone 
almost to decay, with resulting discoloration, afforded a per¬ 
fect background for his dull brown skin. He had deliberately 
chosen such means to elude his pursuer, and had not this rail 
provided what he considered perfect camouflage, then he would 
have coiled himself as is his usual custom. 
Had this little fellow not committed this one indiscreet act 
