"
"Yes I guess you do," agreed Mickey.
The boys were slowly putting on their clothing and Junior was scowling
darkly. Jud edged close.
"Gosh!" he whispered. "I thought it was only a little spring! I didn't
think it was a quicksand!"
"You cut out anything more!" said Junior tersely.
Jud nodded. After a while they started home, walking slowly and each one
being particularly careful of and good to Mickey. When he had rested, he
could see that it was only an accident; such an astounding one he forgot
his bites and could talk of little else.
They made another long pause under a big tree, and Mickey felt so much
better as they again started home, that Junior lagged behind, and Jud
seeing, joined him. Junior asked softly: "Have any more?"
Jud nodded.
"What?" whispered Junior.
Jud told him.
"Oh that! Nothing in that! Go on!"
So they struck into the path they had followed from the swamp to the
woods, when suddenly a warm, yielding, coiling thing slipped under
Mickey's feet. With a wild cry he leaped across the body of a big
rattlesnake that had been coiled in the path.
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