“Yes,” said Chris frankly, “and it’s a better one than I expected; but wouldn’t it be better to try if you can catch the chain with it before it gets dark?”
“He would have to keep on throwing several times perhaps,” said Bourne, “and bring the snakes swarming out.”
“Well I don’t know that it would matter much,” said Griggs thoughtfully. “I should be standing perhaps a dozen yards from where the hook kept on falling, and they’d strike at it and not at me. I shall try it at once, doctor, for it’ll be far better than doing it by lanthorn light.”
“Yes,” said the doctor thoughtfully; “and at the worst, if the reptiles swarmed out, we would hurry away till they settled down again.”
“Yes,” said Griggs, with a quick nod of the head, and a few minutes later he had his tackle ready, the hook securely tied on, the rope hanging in coils from his hand, and all ready for the advance.
“I’ll go alone, please, and at once,” he said sharply. “In ten minutes it will be getting dusk. Did any one notice whether the chain lay at the top?”
“Yes,” cried Chris sharply; “I did. So that it would be quite easy to catch.”
“Good,” cried Griggs, in a satisfied tone. “Then here goes.”
“Promise me you’ll be careful, Griggs,” said the doctor.
“Yes, sir,” said the American, smiling, “if you’ll strike a bargain.”