"Oh, dear! is it dead?" questioned Martha, and her voice trembled a little as she spoke. "Dead as a doormat," announced her brother, after a hasty examination. Then he took a stick and, placing it under the reptile, threw the remains from the rocks into the lake. Fred and Andy speedily disposed of the other reptile in the same way. "Maybe there are more snakes around here!" cried Alice Strobell nervously. "If there are, I'm sure I don't want to stay here any longer," added Annie Larkins. "Who would dream of digging up snakes on this island?" murmured Martha. "Oh, it takes away all the fun of gathering ferns." "Nevertheless, I am going to get that fern for you," announced Gif. "But, Gif, there may be more snakes around that hole." "Well, I'll take a chance. I don't think they are very dangerous, anyhow," answered the athletic cadet. "Be on your guard, Gif," warned Jack, and then armed himself with several stones, and the other cadets did the same. Gif approached the spot with caution and began to dig up the fern Martha had wanted. The other boys came quite close, but the girls kept their distance. No other snakes appeared, and soon Gif had the fern, which he took pleasure in presenting to Jack's sister. "Thank you, Gif," she said politely. "It certainly is a beautiful fern, and I'll do my best to preserve it. But I think every time I look at it I'll remember those snakes." "Oh, you mustn't mind anything like that, Martha. Why, we've met dozens of little snakes on our tours. I don't believe they'd hurt you." "Maybe not, Gif; but they're such awful crawly things!" "I'm afraid I'd die if a snake touched me," added Alice Strobell, with a shudder. For a while the snake episode put a damper on the outing. But the boys did their best to make the girls forget it, and after a while all were hunting as diligently as before for ferns. They found a varied collection, and took delight in filling the shoeboxes with the plants, filling in the tops of the boxes with moss. "Oh, my! Half-past three already!" declared Ruth presently, as she consulted her pretty little wrist-watch. "As late as that?" returned Martha. "Perhaps we had better go back and have our lunch," suggested Mary. All were willing, for climbing around the rocks had made the young folks hungry. Mary and Spouter led the way back, with the others straggling behind. "What are you going to do this summer, Jack?" questioned Ruth on the way. "We haven't made any plans yet, Ruth. I want to see my father first of all." "I don't blame you for that. You must be glad to think he is coming back safe and sound. And just to think that he won a medal! Isn't it perfectly wonderful!" and her eyes beamed with pleasure. "It sure is! Oh, my dad's a wonderful man--the best in the world!" answered the young captain enthusiastically. And then he added: "Have your folks decided to go down on the Jersey shore?" "It's about settled. I'll know for sure when I get home next week."