“I see another tree with some extra large nuts!” cried Shep.  “Come on!”

He led the way to the tree in question, which grew on a bit of land projecting far out into the lake.  They soon had some of the big nuts and were about to return whence they had come, when Snap uttered a cry: 

“A snake!”

“Where?” came from the others.

“There—–­under the tree roots.”

Snap was right; a big snake was close at hand, under some tree roots over which they had just stepped.

“I don’t want anything to do with a snake,” gasped Giant.  “Let us get out of here!”

Then all of the young hunters gazed at each other in dismay.  The snake was directly in their path to the shore proper.

It was a water reptile and all of five or six feet long.  As they approached, it raised its head and gave a curious hissing sound.

All of the boys crowded back.  Only Whopper had his gun, the other weapons having been left at the foot of the other nut trees.  The snake certainly looked ugly.  Evidently it did not like having its domain invaded.

“I’ll give it a shot!” cried Whopper, and raised the shotgun carefully.  But just as he was on the point of firing, the reptile disappeared.

“Where is he?”

“He went under the tree roots.”

“Maybe he took to the water.”

The four young hunters gazed anxiously.  Then of a sudden they saw the snake again.  It came up through the tree roots almost at their feet, hissing more viciously than ever.

CHAPTER XXIII

AFTER MOUNTAIN BROOK MINK

“Shoot him, Whopper!”

Such was the exclamation from all of the others, and in haste the lad named took hasty aim and pulled the trigger.

The shot was a poor one, the charge merely tearing across the side of the water snake.  With another hiss it whipped around and in a twinkling had itself curled around Whopper’s left leg.

“Hi! take him off!  Take him off!” screamed the young hunter, in terror.  “Don’t let him bite me!”

Snap sprang forward.  His one idea was to save his chum, and he did not think of his own peril.

“Beware!” cautioned Giant.

Watching his chance, Snap put his foot on the tail of the water snake.  The reptile whipped around wildly and wound itself about the lower limbs of both boys.

“I’ll get a gun!” yelled Shep, and made a dash for the nearest of the firearms.

“Don’t shoot us!” called out Whopper.

Catching up a weapon, Shep came up close and let drive almost in the face of the water snake.  It was a telling shot, and the reptile whipped wildly this way and that.  Then it fell into the water and was quickly lost to sight.

“Is—–­is he gone?” gasped Whopper.

“Yes,” answered Giant.  “Shep finished him.”

“That was no joke,” said Snap, when he could speak.  He was trembling from head to foot.