"Don't know," replied he, trying to appear calm, but really very much alarmed. "This nag must have seen a ghost."
"There it goes," shouted Tom, leaping quickly from his saddle and darting into the underbrush. "Come here, quick, some of you. I haven't any gun or sword, or even a stick."
Two or three of the men followed him and hastily stepped aside as a huge rattler turned with waving head and darting fangs in their direction.
"Let's have your gun," said Tom, quickly reaching out his hand for the weapon nearest him. The soldier handed it over and retreated to a safer spot, out of reach of the threatening reptile.
Tom took careful aim and pulled the trigger. At the same instant he jumped back out of reach, but he was safe where he had stood. The shot, fired so close to the mark, had fairly blown off the head of the dangerous snake, and the soldiers gave a hearty round of applause at this excellent exhibition of marksmanship, for with a swaying, venomous snake before one, it is most difficult to fire true the first time.
"Good shot, young fellow," said the recruiting sergeant, heartily. "I'll ask the major if he doesn't think you could be trusted with a rifle, for a man like yourself would be a valuable addition to our ranks."
"Thanks," said Tom, hopefully, for he certainly would like to succeed in getting a rifle. He could see that the recruiter was still hopeful of enlisting the boys.
"And sure, if you trust thot boy with a gun, Oi'm to be gettin' wan at the same instant," said Tim. "You should see the rattles off the hundreds of snakes Oi mesilf have kilt intirely yet."
Tim said this with a broad grin on his face and the soldiers could not help laughing at his remarks. The sergeant, however, saw that Tim really wanted a gun if Tom got one, so he promised to do his best for both of them.
The log road that they had been following now was reduced to the roughest kind of a mountain trail, and their progress was greatly impeded. It was soon evident to the officers and men that the wagon with their supplies could never be brought along this trail, and in fact the horses seemed to be more trouble than they were worth.