Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-09-09

ioNh. iiS sstiA shS
that constituted the old boys reward,
that swelled their stout chests with
pride and sent them out next morning,
rain or shine, to win the praise they
affected to despise.
Turning again to look at the snake,
Acornick suddenly put all his strength
into his strokes, and the cedar skif
fairly flew through the brown water.
''Tom," said he, Tom Johnson, hereis
a chance for a big joke on the boys"
Fetch the snake ashore and throw
it on 'emg' cried Johnson.
That's the ticket, old man. Golly,
won't they how'll and in a few mo-
ments the boat was close alongside the
reptile. Instead of diving his snake
ship carried a high head, necessarily
wavering from side 10 side, rs If in
thought Of trying some other line of es.
cape, but still giidel along straight for
the wooded island on the lee of which
were all parties to this affair. His ar
rowy tongue quivered in and II con
~tinually, and as the old boys reached
him they saw that he was indeed "A big
fellow. some six feet long, notified in
very dark brown patches, with a wick
ed looking, yellow, i!attened head.
Maybe its "A rattlesnake." cried
Acornick in alarm.
'Rattlesnake he hansed-the rattle.
snakes Were all killed off these islands
years ago. Is Just ON harmless
snake. Let drive at him with the
oar"
Instead Of doing 5 Acornick struck
the snake snartly a few inches belliad
the head with the iron rim Of a land
ing net. Ii collapsed instantly. wal
lowed. rs If fatally hurt, and in a few
moments wa lifted into the boat and
tucked completely into the net. While
the two old boys. who knew neNt to
nothing about snakes, were discussing
his markings, sagely and secretly ad-
miring one another for the prodigious
courage they had displayed, the rep
tile writhed a little, but remained APP
parently well and truly killed.
I'm bet you S. it's n water snake"
said Acornick.
I'm bet you $40 it isn't. I'll bet you
it's a land snake. III bet you go it's
a garter snake or else "a milk snake"
'or maybe a hoop snake" suggested
Acornick in q propiriatory voice, as If
staggered by the confidence Of his
(Johnson'sl assertions.
No matter what il is" said John
son, feeling the triumph Of superior
knowledge. lin be "A grand joke on
those lazy fellows"
Then hcor.i,N dggo,itol the landing
net in the bow, throw a coat over its
mouth II keep The :, inside and
turned for TIE camp with glec.
"Ill take tie car, nogN you like"
said John pa. and they changed places
with more ease tan might have been
expected from twu such wide men.
clasping one another just in the middle
of the skiiT and shifting past adroitly
the next instant.
Put out the spoon, why don't your
said johnson as he took the oars.
We've only got two bass yet"
"All right. Maybe we'll pick up a
lunge on the way in."
A lunge is always a Georgian bay
possibility, but 10 take one is luck like
finding a paying gold mine,
I've got him." cried Acornick, in a
few minutes.
well. hang on IL him; don't make
such an outrageous fCss about it,"
These two brethren If the gentle art
lost few oppprtInitic. t. hector one an
other.
I've got lin and he, ii sockdol-
ager.," cried A",rn..s... Away behind
the boat a white streak leaped twice
into the cir.
Fits IA lunge-a whale of a 'lunge,"
cried johnson. ''laIIi never land him
in the world. I'll bet you n hat you
don't"
Pull out into deep WATERFOWL, /
say-give me n chanre-lM take your
bet-ten hats if you likc-pull out-out
from the shore. What are you loafing
with those oars for Gracious how he
pulls"
Just then something meandered down
the bottom Of the skill from between
Johnson's feet.
''The snake! the snakes alive cried
Acornick. johnson made a stamp at
the reptile and missed. Acornick,
bothered by the 'lunge, could not seize
anything to strike his snakeship with,
50 he violently thrust his feet straight
at the creatures open mouth and forky
tongue. Al that the snake turned back
toward johnson. who seized a stretcher
and, striking cleyerly at the reptiles
head, laid il out limp "a more Then
they put him back in the net and
placed il again in the bow.
Lost the lunge,' cried Acornick,
hauling al his slack line In disgust,
Ten hats, said johnson. Mum
Der sever and q quarter. kogsen's
best"