“It’s ahead there, somewhere!” panted the professor, as the sound of a mighty threshing and struggling amidst the undergrowth came to their ears.
Neither the professor nor Mr. Tubbs was in the least faint-hearted, but they crept through the forest with some caution. If the boys had been attacked by enemies, they reasoned the best thing to do would be to give their foes no opportunity of observing the approach of re-enforcements.
They came on a scene that, for an instant, almost deprived them of their breath.
But, as the noise grew louder, they hesitated no longer, but pressed right on. Suddenly, on emerging into an open space where the growth had been flattened out in every direction, they came on a scene that, for an instant, almost deprived them of their breath.
In the midst of the open space, Nat and Joe were bending over the form of Ding-dong, who was stretched on the ground, seemingly unconscious. Not far off, an immense snake, which must have been fully fifteen feet long, was lashing wildly about in its death agonies.
“Oh, professor!” cried Nat, as he saw the newcomers, “we’re so glad you have come. Ding-dong was attacked by that serpent and badly crushed. It was only by firing at the creature that we managed to save his life.”
“Is he badly hurt?” choked out Joe anxiously.