CHAPTER XXII

IN A SNAKES' DEN

"Just in time, and no mistake," remarked Songbird as he surveyed the scene outside. "No use of talking, when it rains down here, it rains!"

"Well, a rainstorm isn't a picnic party," returned Tom. "I wouldn't care so much if I wasn't so anxious to hear from Sam and Dick."

"Dot is vot ve all vonts," broke in Hans.

They crouched in the back of the shelter, so that the rain might not drive down upon them. It was a steady downpour for half an hour, when it began to slacken up, and the sun looked as if it might break through the clouds once more.

"We won't be detained so long, after all!" cried Fred.

"I am just as well satisfied," began Tom, and then gave a jump. "Boys, look there! Did you ever see anything like it?"

They looked in the direction pointed out, and each one sprang up as if he had received an electric shock, while Wags began to bark furiously. And small wonder, for directly in front of the shelter was a collection of snakes numbering at least thirty or forty. They were black, brown and green in color and from two to four feet in length. Some were lying flat, while others were curled up in various attitudes.

"Snakes!" faltered Fred. "And what a lot of them!"

"Dere ain't no choke apout dis!" gasped Hans, his eyes almost as big as saucers. "Vot shall ve do?"

"Get your pistols, boys!" came from Songbird, and he drew his weapon.

What are the answers to this following set of questions:

1. What were people seeking shelter from?
2. How long did the storm last?
3. Who was Tom waiting to get word from?
4. Who talks with a German accent?
5. Where did the group hunker down?
6. In the front of the shelter?
7. Where then?
8. Why?
9. What did they discover outside after the rain?
10. Did the German think it was funny?
11. What did his eyes become as large as?
12. What did he ask the group?
13. What was the suggestion?
14. Who suggested that?
15. How many snakes were there?
16. Were they all 20 feel in length?
17. How big were they?
18. What was a coloring of one?
19. and others?
20. Were they horizontal with the ground?

Numbered answers:
1. the rain
2. half an hour
3. Sam and Dick."
4. Hans.
5. the shelter,
6. no
7. the back
8. so that the rain might not drive down upon them.
9. snakes
10. no
11. saucers.
12. "Vot shall ve do?"
13. to get their pistols
14. Songbird
15. at least thirty or forty.
16. no
17. two to four feet
18. black
19. brown
20. Some were