“Oh, that is a good ways from here,” replied Buckden. “This street I believe extends for a distance of twenty miles. Half way to the other end is a public square and there we will find the temple. At least, so I was informed by the native, Metlo.”
“Very good! then we shall be on the lookout for the anacondas.”
The words were not out of Frank’s mouth when a warning cry came from Barney who was at the forward end of the wagon.
“Luk out fer yesilf, Misther Frank!” he cried; “there’s a big log acrost the road an’ if yez don’t luk out we’ll be overturned by it.”
Frank quickly closed the throttle and applied the brake.
Right across the Steam Man’s path was what looked like a log of palm, and it stretched from a clump of palms to a thicket which grew out of the paving stones full thirty feet away.
But quick as he had been Frank was not in time to prevent the Steam Man from stumbling against it.
The result was terrifying.
The log was instantly an animated creature. Quick as a flash it bounded in air and ran up in huge coils, while the savage head of a huge anaconda emerged from the palm clump.
Before Frank could make a move to retreat, the big snake had thrown its giant coils around the wagon and over the cage.