CHAPTER XXV
A NEST OF SERPENTS
“What--what do you think they were?” asked Bob, after a few moments ofsilence. He spoke in low tones, so that the weird echo would not repeathis words.
“I give it up,” said Jerry.
“Maybe they were the ghosts of the three men in the boat, who may havebeen drowned around here,” suggested Ned.
“Nonsense!” exclaimed the tall lad. “Don’t be silly, Ned.”
“Well, I was only joking.”
“Pretty poor joking,” commented Bob. “I’m going inside. It’s chilly outhere,” and he shivered.
“Yes, I guess it is more pleasant inside,” agreed Jerry. “Did you seeanything of your toad, Professor?”
“No, not a thing, but I got several other valuable specimens, so myevening was not wasted. I guess I’ll go in with you.”
“What do you think those queer shapes were?” asked Jerry of thescientist, when they were once more in the cabin.
“Well, it would be hard to say,” spoke Professor Snodgrass. “Of coursenone of us believe in ghosts, and yet there are queer manifestations,sometimes, that even science cannot satisfactorily explain. My honestbelief is that this was some effect of the fog, or night vapors arisingout of the damp ground.”
“But they looked--er--just like men wrapped in sheets,” spoke Bob witha shudder.
“Yes, I dare say they did. And, if you tried hard enough you couldimagine almost anything. Probably it will be easy to explain. To-morrowwe will look at the place whence they seemed to arise from the ground.It may be that there is a hot spring there, and that the ‘ghosts’ wereonly wisps of steam vapor.”
With this explanation the boys contented themselves, and they were soonin bed. Nor did they sleep any the less soundly because of the queermanifestation. For they were sensible and healthy lads, and it tookmore than a so-called “ghost” to disturb their rest.
In the morning, accompanied by the professor, they made a carefulexamination of the place where the queer wraiths had been seen, butit afforded them no clew. The ground seemed no different from that inother spots on the island.
“Well, there’s no use bothering over that any longer,” suggested Jerry,after a bit. “We can try and solve that problem later; maybe to-night.What I think we’d better do now is to explore the island, and see if wecan find any of that radium. What do you think, Professor?”
“I agree with you, and yet I am in two minds about it. You see, boys,while I want to help you find the treasure, which may or may not behere, it is very important that I look for that rare toad. Now what Iam going to propose is this:
“You go off by yourselves, and hunt for the radium. I’ll tell youin what sort of rock it is likely to be found, and you can collectspecimens, and bring them back with you. At night I’ll test them. Butyou must mark, in some way, the exact location of each bit of rockspecimen you take. Then, in case there are evidences of radium, we canfind the spot again.
“In the meanwhile I’ll be looking for the toad. I can soon tell ifthere are any on the island, and if I find there are none, or no tracesof any, I’ll join you in the hunt for the radium treasure. Or, in caseI do get what I am looking for, I will be satisfied, and in that case Iwill also join you.”
“That’s a good plan,” agreed Jerry. “Come on, Bob and Ned, and we’lllook for the radium, while the Professor is toad-hunting.”
Uriah Snodgrass had already told the boys much about radium, and thevarious forms in which it might be found. He only reminded them, now,of the main points to be remembered, and the three chums set off.
With eager eyes Jerry, Ned and Bob scanned the various kinds of rocksas they passed along, making their way toward the lower end of theisland. As they advanced the land gradually rose until they were quitea height above the river that flowed on either side of them. Across thestream could be seen the mighty cliffs; black near the water, and ofvarious colors as the top was approached. There was the glow of the sunoverhead, but, only in the middle of the day, did the beams penetrateto the bottom of the titanic canyon.
Specimen after specimen of rock was picked up and cast aside, as noneof them showed the characteristics of radium. Noon came, and the questwas unsuccessful. They ate their lunch on a shelf of rock, looking downinto the wonderful river that had carved out such a channel for itself.Most of the afternoon was spent as fruitlessly, until finally Bobremarked:
“Fellows, don’t you think we’d better get back? It’s getting dark allof a sudden.”
“I think we’re in for a storm,” spoke Jerry, with a glance toward theclouds that hovered over the chasm. “And it looks as if it would be abad one. The river is sure to rise, and I’m not altogether satisfiedwith the place where we left the _Comet_. She ought to be anchoredhigher up. Let’s get back and make her more secure.”
They hurried to such good advantage that they were almost at the placewhere they had left the _Comet_ when the rain came down. ProfessorSnodgrass had already returned, without his toad.
“Boys!” he cried, “it’s going to be a deluge! There will be a lotof water, and the river is sure to rise very high. I think we hadbetter get in the airship, and go up until it’s over. There may be aircurrents down here so powerful that we can’t make headway against them.My advice is to go up.”
The others thought this good, and so, in the midst of the peltingrain, and against a current of air that every moment grew stronger,the _Comet_ arose out of the canyon. Of course they did not escape therain by going up, but they were in less danger. All night the stormcontinued, but the adventurers were in comfortable circumstances, forthey had anchored in a little shelter of rocks, securely tying downtheir craft.
“Well, now to see if there is any of Snake Island left,” remarked Jerrynext morning, when the sun came out to dry up the dampness. “We’ll haveanother try for the radium.”
Instead of stopping at the same place where they had made the firstlanding, Jerry sent the airship toward the lower part of the island.
“We’ll begin there for a change,” he remarked.
It could easily be seen that the river had risen considerably, and, hadthey remained anchored at the spot where they had seen the “ghosts,”they would have been in grave danger. Though the water was now goingdown, it had lodged on the upper part of the island many big trees andpiles of driftwood.
“Look at that!” suddenly cried Bob, as they were hovering over thelower end of the island, looking for a suitable landing place. “There’sa hut on the side of the hill that I didn’t notice before.”
“That’s right,” agreed Jerry, gazing at a rude structure of logs builtunder a sheltering bluff, about a quarter of a mile from the shore. “Wepassed over this place in the airship, too, but I didn’t see that. Wemust see what it means. Maybe there is some one living on this island.Perhaps----”
He did not finish, but they all knew whom he meant--Mr. Bentwell, themissing scientist, might be there.
Ned took the binoculars, and directed them toward the hut.
“I can’t see anyone there!” he cried. “But say--Oh, look! look!” andhe almost screamed. “The snakes! The snakes! There’s a regular den ofthem, right in front of the hut! A nest of serpents! Look!”
With trembling hands he passed the glass to Jerry. As the tall ladlooked through the binoculars his face paled.
“No wonder they call this Snake Island!” he murmured. “There must bethousands of them! I’m glad we didn’t stay on the island last night.Oh, look at those big snakes!”