The new enterprise., 1905-05-04


shadow indicated TO his blurred vision
the position Of his enemy. But on the
resumption of active hostilitles he
would begin again his painful ascent
"Ow.w-w-ch" sounded a howl from
above.
Looking up at the cry, Anna dis
cerned among the clustering leaves Of
the black oak a huddled figure, with
raccoon-like eyes, peerlng down at the
mounting snake, TO escape from which
he had, in fact, climped the tree.
"Willic," she shouted, Jump! The
snakes coming' Jump"
"Ow.w-w.ch" he continued to wall.
The snake stopped. confused. craning
its head upward at the new complica-
tion, then downward at its known adj
vcrsary. Its hesitation would make
Willie's escape practicable, If he could
conquer his crazy fear
willie, break off a limb-beat it
back! | can run"
The snake undulated a few inches
farther, The reiterated cry was vii.
y
saw another chance.
There's that big limb on the red
wood, You can reach It, Swing across.
It's easy. You must" stamping. 20
Willie, DO it! DO it,"
Her sailor father had often reproyed
Anna for her delight in climbing and
swinging from tree to tree, by means
Of her long arms ana practiced hands
1t is not goodt for you to be a
monkey, mine Anna he would say.
Little girls need nefer to 90 to the
masthead, Thou hast no call to be a
sailor BE only brave kindchen, and
help our goodt mother wit the Dishes"
His admonlt.on would dissolve in an
unrestrained roar Of laughter as she
wickedly Skinned" up the porch post
to coign Of vantage on the vine.cov-
cred roof.
But she could rot climb the tree
where the snake still cmng. There
was the neighboring redwood, huge
girthed smoo,h.bo,cl, with limbs out
of reach, yet with the lowest bouCh
almost touching the limb on which
Willie crouched. mechanically clutch.
ing the body Of the tree, but dumb and
stupefed with the horror Of his sltua-
iion.
Anna hurriediy piled large rocks un-
der a thick-hroken branch. stump Of the
redwood, which was at least eight feet
from the ground. Four times she
leaped upward and fell back, wound
ing her tough little feet She noticed
on the rocks as she heapcd
them with a broader base for her NTH
attempt. The snake rested. waving
his head downward, as II in query.
Fortunately. he was full and sluggish.
Once more Anna crouched and shot
upward. Her right hand caught the
projecting stump, her left easily FOL.
lowed Clasping the decreasing trunk
Df the tree with her slim, muscular legs.
hanging also by her hands, she dropped
her head backward to take oNserva.
tion. The snake hung out, also, TO-
ward her from his tree, then resumed
his deliberate climbing. Evidently the
task was neither easy nor TO bis liking,
Anna hitched breathlessly up toward
the coveted limb. Reaching 1t. she took
out her jack.knlfe-inseparable com.
panion-scientifically cut a wedge from
a short limb above her, and broke of
the weakened branch. Recovering her
balance, she reached out with this
flexible club, but could rot touch the
snake, now reused to accelerated &C.
tiyity.
Holding her weapon between her
teeth, Anna worked her way nearly to
the end Of her tough support Throw.
ing ont her right hand, she was able
to catch the big l:nb, at the base of
which Willie, almost ins5nsible, still
huddled. Then she swung. pendulum.
Ike, by her hands, increasing her mo-
mentum. AT the right moment she re.
leased the redwood bough and flung
her light body full upon the young oak,
Grasping the limb with both hands. she
hauled herself up beside the terrified
boy.
The snake, shaken by the tumult
above, wavered and stopped. As a
rule, a rattlesnake, conscious of bis de.
fense, makes good fight: but here
the conditions were unusual and con.
fusing. On level ground. where he
could have coiled, and wherc his sensi.
tive under surface could have slid COM
fortably over smooth earth, he would
not have shirked combat when cor
nered. Now, with his enemy myster.
iously above, his one idea seemed to be
to escape.
Willie jabbered an idiotic welcome.