Harry had the most startling experience of all. A snake dropped from a crevice overhead and landed directly on his neck. The sensation shocked the boy, but he was quick to act. He caught the snake by the tail, swung it around, and dashed its head with all his force against the solid walls of the hut-cave. The reptile was instantly killed. Andy also had a thrilling experience, a snake winding itself around his ankle, and refusing to loosen itself even when caught back of the neck by the courageous boy. “Hop out and hold him over the fire a second,” cried Jack. Out on one foot went Andy, still holding tight to the reptile. When close to the fire, he let go, and thrust the foot over the flames. On the instant the snake straightened out and fell into the fire, before either the boy’s boot or his trousers were very much injured. At last the snakes were all either killed or driven off, and the boys took a breathing spell. They counted up the slain, and with the one consumed by fire, found they numbered fourteen. “That’s a pretty good many in one dose,” remarked Jack; “especially when some of them are pretty nearly three feet long.” “I never want to run across such a nest again!” shuddered Harry; and all agreed with him. “There were at least half a dozen that got away,” remarked Boxy. “I saw three crawl in between the rocks.” “So did I,” returned Andy. “We don’t want to put in any night in this place.” “By golly, no!” cried Pickles. “I dun radder tie myself up on de limb ob a tree and risk gittin’ freezed to deaf!” The sled and the blankets were hauled out of the hut-cave, and examined to see that no live snake was anywhere in hiding among them. Then they gathered around the fire to talk matters over. Jack mentioned the spot he had found among the tall maple trees just before he had fallen into the hole, and they decided that they would locate there for the night. Once more the traps, and a large portion of the burning brush, were removed, and they set to work with all speed to furnish themselves a resting-place. “Now, if this doesn’t turn out all right, we’ll bunk around the fire in the open,” said Jack, and the others said so, too. The extra blankets were tied up around the trees, and against these were heaped brush and leaves. Then the interior was cleaned up, and the rubber blankets put down once more. The work took less than half an hour, and when it was completed the boys had a camp that if not quite as warm as the other might have been, was still dry and sheltered. “We’ll build an extra large fire, and that will keep us warm,” said Andy. “Yes, but we don’t want to wake up an’ find ourselves burnt to deaf,” cautioned Pickles. “That’s so,” put in Jack. “Be careful that the leaves are cleaned away around the brush before you build the fire too high.” Once again brush was gathered, and the fire fixed to everybody’s satisfaction, and then all hands retired into the new camping hut, and sought their various places of rest.