“We’ll take it back to the camp to show the others,” announced our hero. “They wouldn’t believe our story unless we were able to show the snake. Besides that, we can keep the rattles if we want to. Some people prize them quite highly as trophies.”
The axe was wiped off with care, and then, after Roger had recovered his pistol and also the steel measure he had dropped, the pair scrambled up the rocks to where Dave had left his flag and the leveling-rod. He waved the flag in the air as a signal, and presently an answering signal came back from the other members of the leveling gang, who had been wondering what had become of the two assistants.
“Say, you fellows have got to attend to business during working hours!” cried Frank Andrews, when they met. “If you want to——Great catfish! where did you get that snake?” and he broke off short to gaze in wonder at the rattlesnake tied to the string that Roger exhibited.
“You have to break off business when you get an unexpected caller like that,” replied Dave dryly.
“Do you mean to say that rattler attacked you?” questioned Larry Bond quickly.
“He started to attack Roger.”
“And Dave threw the axe at him and then shot him,” explained the senator’s son.
“Some rattler! that’s what he is!” was the comment of John Hixon. “If he struck for you he certainly meant business;” and he examined the remains of the rattlesnake with much interest.
“We thought we heard several shots, but we were not sure,” remarked Frank Andrews.
“I guess you didn’t hear them very well because we were in something of a hollow,” answered Dave; and then he and Roger gave the particulars of what had occurred.