It was an alarming sight, but the good man kept cool, and meant business from the start.
Taking a piece of broken wagon tire, he thrust it slantingly into the hole, to hold the serpent a prisoner, and shoving the muzzle of his revolver forward, he let fly.
Not the slightest motion followed.

He had missed.

He now gently turned the tire edgewise and fired again.

A furious writhing followed, proving that the snake had been hit hard.

The tire was instantly turned over flat to prevent its coming out.