"But I suppose he was not hungry," he reflected, and then he shuddered as he thought that, had he slept two or three hours longer, the snake might have waked up and felt ready for breakfast. In that case, he would have been a ready victim.
However, he was on his feet and unhurt. Ben Boone lay ten feet away. He was snoring loudly, so loudly that Rupert wondered he had not waked up the rattlesnake, who could hardly be accustomed to sounds of that nature.
He approached his companion, and, bending over, called out, "Mr. Boone," but Ben never moved. He was a sound sleeper.
Rupert shook him, first gently, afterwards more roughly, till at last he opened his eyes, but seemed dazed and not quite conscious.
"Eh? Eh? What's the matter?" he ejaculated at length.
"Look there," said Rupert, pointing to the rattlesnake.
"Oh, yes, a rattlesnake," returned Ben, wholly without excitement. "There's a good many of 'em in these parts."
"That one coiled himself up close to where I was lying."
"Yes, it's a way they have. Seems as if they liked company," answered Ben, coolly.