166 MARTIN RATTLER.

Barney at length became so bold that he requested to
be allowed to try his hand at throwing the lasso, the
dexterous use of which by the Negroes had filled him
with admiration. A loud burst of laughter greeted
this proposal, and Sambo showed a set of teeth that
might have made even the alligators envious, as he
handed the Irishman a coil of line.

“Now don’t miss, Barney,” cried Martin, laughing
heartily, as his comrade advanced to the edge of the
lake and watched his opportunity. “Mind, your credit
as an expert hunter is at stake.”

The Senhor Antonio stood close behind the Irishman,
with his arms folded and a sarcastic smile on his
countenance.

“Don’t send it down him’s throat,” yelled Sambo.
“Hi-i; dat’s de vay to swing um round. Stir um up,
boys !—poke um up, villains, hi!”

The Negroes in the water obeyed with frantic
glee, and the terrified monsters surged about in all
directions, so that Barney found it almost impossible
to fix his attention on any particular individual. At
length he made up his mind, whirled the coil round
his head, discharged the noose, caught the Senhor An-
tonio round the neck, and jerked him violently to the
ground !

There was a simultaneous pause of horror among