Page:Young Hunters in Porto Rico.djvu/123

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A LIVELY FIGHT WITH A SERPENT.
119

There were but two rooms to his house, which was only a single story in height.

He occupied one, with Danny and old Jacob, while the others of the party occupied the second.

But sleep was next to impossible. The house was certainly clean, so far as dirt was concerned, but it was alive with bugs, ants and other insects, for this portion of Porto Rico is overrun with these pests.

"Oh my!" roared Don, after he had been in bed less than an hour. "I'm being eaten up alive!"

"Ditto," came from Bob. He turned up the light. "What's this on the floor, spots of dirt? No, by gracious, they're moving! And look at the beds!"

"We've struck a bug colony!" put in Dick. "I reckon we're in for it for the balance of this night."

"I'm going outside and sleep on the ground," announced Leander. "If I stay here I'll get the nightmare, sure. Ugh!" And slipping on his trousers, he made a dash for the open air, and the others followed. Soon the owner of the house was aroused, but he could do nothing for them.

"My house best house in Caguas," he said, simply. "Nobody can stop de bugs an' ants. Must let dem run," and he went back to bed.