Jack and the Big Snake
It was no wonder that Jack was both startled and alarmed. The snake was
certainly powerful, and the youth knew that many of the reptiles of that
vicinity were poisonous. A sting might mean death, and if the snake should
wind itself about him, he might be strangled until his breath was gone,
never to return.
By instinct more than reason he leaped to one side. At this the snake,
hissing louder than ever, did likewise. Then Jack made a wild leap into
the air, caught a low-hanging tree branch, and hauled himself upward.
For the time being our hero was clear of the snake, but he felt far from
comfortable. He perched himself on the limb and watched the reptile
closely. It whipped this way and that over the ground as if in high anger
over missing its intended prey.
Thus several minutes passed. The snake circled the tree three times and
then began to come up with a quickness that chilled Jack to the bone.
There was no help for it, and pulling his pistol, the youth blazed away at
the snake. The first shot took no effect, but the second hit the reptile
fairly in the body. It whipped around its head for a moment, then came
forward as before.
Jack was as far out on the limb as he could get, and now, as the snake
came forward, he blazed away a third and fourth time. Then he let himself
drop to the ground.
As he did this, the reptile thrashed around wildly in the tree, hitting
one limb after another with its tail. Then it came to the ground in a
heap, writhing horribly in its death agonies. Jack had wounded it fatally,
but the body would continue to move until sundown, if not longer. When the
scare was over the youth found himself bathed in a cold perspiration and
trembling as if with the ague. He realized that he had had a narrow
escape, and thanked providence that the snake was dead.
Jack did not remain in that vicinity long, but set at once to work to find
his pony. Fortunately the animal had not gone far on this occasion and a
call soon brought the steed to the youth's side. Then Jack hopped into the
saddle once more.
"Gracious! what a lot of adventures I am having!" he murmured, as he again
rode along. "I hope I don't have any more."
On and on through the forest rode Jack, gradually gaining higher ground.
The sun was breaking through the smoky air and this did something towards
raising his spirits.
A good two miles covered, and our hero came out in a clearing some
distance above the jungle. Here he could get a tolerable view of the
surrounding country and he looked eagerly for some trace of his party. To
the southward he made out what he took to be the smoke of a camp-fire, but
that was all.
"I may as well turn in that direction," he reasoned. "Where there is a
fire there must be human beings. And as the war is now at an end it isn't
likely that they will harm me."
For some distance the new route was an easy one, but then it became
rougher and rougher, until riding was all but impossible. At some points
he had to dismount and lead the pony. Once both went into a rocky hollow,
Jack barking a shin and the pony skinning a knee.
"I hope this doesn't last very far," thought the youth. The roughness
continued a quarter of a mile, when he came out on a beautiful grassy
plain, at the rear of which he saw a thatched house and a small garden
enclosure containing a score or more of chickens.
As he approached the house an old man came forth to meet him. He viewed
Jack with astonishment, for visitors in that lonely spot were rare. "Where
does the most noble señor come from?" he asked, bowing low.
"I came from the town far below here," answered Jack. "I have lost my
way," and then as well as he was able he described the road he wished to
find.
"The _Americano_ señor is a long distance from that road," said the
native.
"Can you guide me to it?" questioned the youth, eagerly. "I will pay you
well for your services."
At the mention of pay the native showed an increased interest. He was
naturally a lazy fellow, but the promise of a Peruvian half dollar made
him hustle to take Jack on his way. He too had a pony, and soon the pair
set off, across the plateau and then through a sparingly grown forest,
where some of the trees were of enormous height.
"What had made the air so smoky?" questioned Jack, as they rode along.
"Have there been heavy forest fires?"
"No forest fires, señor," the native answered. "The smoke comes from the
bowels of the earth. The rocks have opened once more--we shall soon have
an earthquake."
"You think so?" cried Jack. He had experienced several slight earthquakes
while in that quarter of the globe, and, though they had done small harm,
he dreaded the coming of another quake.
"Yes, señor."
"How soon?"
"Two, three days, it may be--or perhaps a week," answered the native.
After that they rode along in silence for fully half a mile, when they
reached a trail running east and west.
"Is this the road the señor is looking for?" asked the native, bringing
his pony to a halt.
"I believe it is," answered Jack. "But I must look around first to see if
my party has passed this way."
He surveyed the scene with care, but could find no trace of the others.
Had they come thus far, or had they turned back, in a hunt for him? Jack
was in a quandary over what to do next. Night was again coming on, and he
had no desire to remain alone again, after his many adventures of the past
twenty-four hours.
"Where can we stop around here?" he asked.
"The señor wants his humble servant to remain with him over night?"
"Yes, unless some other house is handy, and others there."
"There is a house not far away, but it is empty."
"Then let us go to it. It will be better to remain there than to stay in
the open."
They went up the trail a short distance, and then turned to the southward
and took to a side road leading through a patch of high brushwood.
Crossing a tiny mountain torrent, they came in sight of a dilapidated
house, one end of which was all but wrecked. To the surprise of both Jack
and his guide, smoke was issuing from behind the structure.
"Somebody must be here after all," said the youth, as he rode forward.
"It must be a stranger, señor," was the native's reply.
Not to fall into the hands of enemies Jack advanced with caution. As he
rounded the end of the dilapidated house, he saw a bright fire burning
among some piled-up stones. In front of this fire a tall young man,
dressed in rags, was crouching, cooking something in a battered pan. As
Jack came closer the young man suddenly leaped to his feet, uttering a cry
of alarm. Then he gave another cry, and dropping the pan with its contents
to the ground, he rushed forward with wide-stretched arms yelling at the
top of his voice.
"Jack! Jack! It is really my own Jack! Oh, how glad I am to see yeou!"