and west, aloft, skirmishing in bewilderment
to all points of the horizon.

"Hum-m. There isn't a sign of a buzzwagon
! Who pulled off that stunt--on
-us?" bleated a few of the mystified
younger boys, while Stud silently brushed
moisture like cave-tears from his forehead.

So did the tall Scoutmaster, heavily
breathing relief.

"Not an aeroplane in sight! Not a
single one!" breezed the girls, all ready to
be angry. "Who--who put that hoax
over?"

"Varnish right--and aeroplane wrong!"
It was the freakish voice of a nickum which
answered. "No! No buzzer, as the boys
say, but there was a rattler, in there, beside
that rock. If some of you girls had gone
ahead, you 'd have stepped right on him!"

"A 'rattler!' A big rattlesnake! Ard
-and you started the cry, to get us ouc
quietly--quickly!"

"Not we! The Scoutmaster had the
presence of mind to launch an aeroplane.
[[172]]

p171 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p172w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p173

v?