The Lone Wolf came up to her and taking her own sweater off wrapped it around her and hustled her off toward her tent.

Just then the cry of “All out!” sounded on the dock and the swimmers came flocking out of the water with many an exclamation of regret that the time was up.

“Oh, please, Tiny, may I do this one dive?” coaxed Bengal from one of the boards on the tower.  “I’m all in a position to do it—­see?”

“Time’s up,” replied Tiny inexorably, and Bengal reluctantly relinquished her dive and climbed down from the tower.

“Next test for Sharks a week from today!” called Tiny in her megaphone voice to the Perches, as she mounted the diving tower in preparation for her own initial plunge.  The swimming instructors had their own swimming time after the girls were out of the water.

Gladys and Migwan were dripping their way back to Ponemah, one on either side of Bengal Virden, who was entertaining them with tales of former years at camp, when they were startled to see Miss Peckham standing on top of a high rock wildly waving them back.

“Don’t go near the tent!” she shrieked.

“Why not?” called Migwan in alarm, as the three girls stood still in the path, the water which was dripping out of their bathing suits collecting in a puddle around their feet.

“There’s a snake underneath the tent, a great big snake,” answered Miss Peckham in terrified tones.

“Well, what of it?” demanded Bengal coolly.  “I’ve seen lots of snakes.  I’m not afraid of them.  Come on, let’s get a forked stick, and let’s kill it.”

She stooped to wring out the water which had collected in the bottom of her bathing suit and then started forward toward Ponemah.

Miss Peckham, high on her rock, raised a great outcry.  “Stay where you are!” she commanded.  “Don’t you go near that tent.”

Bengal kept on going, looking about her for a forked stick.

“Bengal Virden!” screamed Miss Peckham, in such a tone of terror that Bengal involuntarily stood still in her tracks, dropping the stick she was in the act of picking up.  “It’s a deadly poisonous snake,” gasped Miss Peckham, beginning to get breathless from fright, “a monstrous black one with red rings on it.  I saw it crawling among the leaves.  It reared up and menaced me with its wicked head.  Don’t you stir another step!” she commanded as Bengal seemed on the point of going on.

“What’s the matter?” asked a voice behind them, and there was Miss Judy, just coming out of her tent with her wet bathing suit in her hand.

“There’s a terrible poisonous snake under our tent,” replied Miss Peckham.  “I was just coming out of the door after my nap when I saw it gliding underneath.  It’s down there now, under the bushes.”

“How queer!” replied Miss Judy, looking with concern at her wildly excited cousin.  “We’ve never had large snakes around here.  What color did you say it was?”