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116 lay o' the land," as Captain Jerry expressed it, they started to descend the hill. This proved as difficult as climbing up had been.

Dick went in advance, and was half-way down when he stepped on a loose stick and went rolling into a perfect network of vines and brushwood.

"Are ye hurt?" sang out old Jerry.

"No—not much!" answered the eldest Rover. "But my wind—Oh, goodness gracious!"

Dick broke off short, and small wonder. As he arose from the hole into which he had tumbled, a hissing sound caught his ears. Then up came the head of a snake at least eight feet long, and in a twinkle the reptile had wound itself around the boy's lower limbs!