The snake darted to one side. It was merely grazed by the rock and now it hissed viciously.
The hiss appeared to be a signal, and in a moment more another snake and then another appeared, until fully a dozen reptiles each a yard or more in length covered the rocks where all of the cadets' wearing apparel rested!
CHAPTER XXIII
A GLIMPSE OF AN OLD ENEMY
"We are in a pickle now and no mistake!" groaned Fred Garrison. He hated snakes as much as he did poison.
"It's certainly bad," declared Songbird Powell. "I wonder what we had best do?"
"Has anybody got a pistol?"
Nobody had, nor was there any weapon handy outside of a jackknife and a fishing rod.
"If we only had a shot-gun," sighed Sam.
"But we haven't one and we must do the best we can without it," answered Tom. "Songbird, supposing you try to charm 'em with some of that soothing poetry of yours. Or take a picture of 'em."