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{{frabfp172.png}} || eagles of the sky ||

certain what the effect of so dangerous a neighbor
might have upon his sensitive pal, "we can
pass him by out of reach. A rattler, unless madly
in earnest, never tries to strike further than his
length for he has to get back in his coil in a
hurry, being helpless to defend himself unless
curled up."

Jack showed that this was true by passing the
spot, with the venomous reptile only increasing
his rattle and drawing back his head. Then Perk
shut his teeth hard and followed suit but it might
have been noticed that he kept to the extreme
edge of the narrow trail and had his muscles all
set, as if in readiness to make a mighty spring if
he thought the snake was about to launch his
coils forward.

"Whew!" hissed Perk, after he had safely
negotiated the peril that lay in the road, "I'm
a'thinkin' what risks we got to run tonight when
we come a'snoopin' 'long this way. Nigh makes
my hair curl to figure on that baby comin' slap
up against my leg. Wish now I had my old
leather huntin' leggings with me to ward off
them terrible fangs, each one an inch long,
seemed like to me."

"Between us, brother, I myself don't seem to
hanker traveling along this trail after dark, and
I mean to carry that small flash of mine, turning
the light on every few seconds for I don't believe

[[172]]

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