10 Rattlesnake Rock

They left the town behind, but Bo-Bo’s anger stayed with her. She was angry with the men who took Sheng’s money. Angry with Mr. Smeets for being so greedy. Most of all, she was angry with herself for letting it all happen.

Determination settled on her like a second layer of fur. She wouldn’t let her own weakness cost Sheng and his family everything. This time, she’d make up for her mistake.

They walked and walked and then they walked some more. Bo-Bo was thirsty again. Sheng shook his canteen. It was almost empty.

“The air is so dry here!” he said. “It makes your throat feel like tree bark. Back home it’s hot, but at least the air isn’t full of dust.” He poured some water into his palm for Bo-Bo. She lapped it up. Sheng drank the rest.

“We’ll have to get more soon,” he said. He unrolled the map. He pointed to something on it. “We’ll get some when we get to this river.” It just looked like a wavy line to Bo-Bo, but somehow Sheng knew it meant there was a river there.

“But first we need those rocks near the pine trees,” he said. He looked up and pointed at two hills, one to the left, one to the right. “They could be over either of those hills,” he said. “But I can’t tell which one from the map. It shows a lot of hills.”

Pine trees. Bo-Bo couldn’t read a map, but she knew pine trees when she smelled them. Their sweet, sharp scent floated toward her on the breeze. She lifted her nose to the air. She followed the scent, walking a few paces toward the hill on the left. But Sheng kept staring at the map. She tugged on his shirt. He just frowned and looked up at the hills again.

Bo-Bo had to get him to follow her. She grabbed the canteen from his grip and ran.

“Bo-Bo!” Sheng shouted. “Come back here! I need that!”

Bo-Bo dashed up the hill toward the scent. Sheng raced after her.

When she reached the top, she looked down. There it was! A cluster of rocks, like four fingers pointing straight up into the sky.

Sheng came panting behind her.

“What were you thinking?” he said. He took the canteen from her. Then he looked down the hill. His eyes widened in surprise. “It’s the rocks! Surrounded by trees! It’s right there. That’s lucky.” Bo-Bo wagged her tail.

Sheng ran down the hill. Bo-Bo followed. When they reached the trees, Sheng leaned against one of the rocks, where there was a little shade.

“The map says the river is downhill and to the south,” he said. “We cross it at a big oak tree. There’s a bridge there.” He was still breathing hard. It was getting very hot. He shook the empty canteen and licked his dry lips.

“The white miners don’t have to pay three dollars a month just to keep their claims,” he grumbled. “None of them would ever have to be out here frying like an egg.”

Bo-Bo had never heard Sheng talk like that before.

Rattle Rattle Rattle!

Bo-Bo knew what that sound was. A snake was coiled up next to a hole under the rock. Right by her left paw! Its flat, triangular head was lowered. Its small eyes glared. Its tail was lifted high above the rest of it. Rattle!

Sheng gasped. Bo-Bo scooched backward until her rump was next to Sheng.

Rattle Rattle Rattle! That sound came from behind them. It was another snake.

Rattle Rattle! Another one.

Bo-Bo knew what you were supposed to do around rattlers. Don’t disturb them, and back away slowly.

But the snakes were already disturbed. And she and Sheng couldn’t back up any farther.

The snakes hissed. Sheng reached up toward the tree above him. He grasped a branch and snapped it off. He held it up, ready for a fight.

Bo-Bo snuffled quietly so she wouldn’t startle the snakes. “We don’t mean any harm,” she told the one closest to her. It drew back its head.

“Then why are you here?” the snake said. “With one of those gold hunters?” She bobbed her head toward Sheng. “Men come here and take everything. They dig up our dens. This is our home. They stole it.”

“We don’t want anything!” Bo-Bo barked. “We just—”

The snake leaped at her. Sheng shouted and swung his stick. Bo-Bo jumped straight into the air. She landed in a crouch and grabbed the snake behind its head. She threw it as far as she could. It landed with a hiss and slid back toward them. Another snake moved in. Then another. Suddenly it seemed like the entire ground around the rock was alive with snakes.

Bo-Bo’s fury returned. They were threatening Sheng! Like the men in town had. Like Mr. Smeets had. Her whole body got hot, and she growled a deeper growl than she had ever growled before.

She pounced among the snakes.

Sheng ran forward with his stick. Bo-Bo couldn’t let him be bitten. She yelped and threw another snake. Two more closed in on her.

THWACK! A rock landed between the two snakes. There was a blur of bright colors and sharp talons and a beak.

“Choi Hung!” cried Sheng.

The bird dove down and flew up and then dove down again. Sheng swung his stick. Bo-Bo barked and growled. The snakes began to slither away, into crevices and holes. Bo-Bo snatched one behind its head.

I can crush you right now, she thought. That’s what Thunder would do.

The snake flopped around desperately, trying to escape her jaws.

Suddenly, Bo-Bo was ashamed. The snake was now all alone against her, Sheng, and Choi Hung. It was just trying to take care of its home. Just like she was trying to take care of Sheng and the claim. She didn’t want to be like the men in town or Mr. Smeets.

She let the snake go. It hissed in relief and slid away.

Choi Hung fluttered to Sheng’s shoulder.

“Choi Hung, what are you doing here?” Sheng asked, stroking Choi Hung’s feathers.

“Dim, dust-brained dog!” Choi Hung said to Bo-Bo. “Don’t you know better than to play with rattlesnakes?”

Bo-Bo ignored this. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I heard from a vulture, who heard from a hawk, who heard from a crow that you were in trouble.” He cocked his head from side to side. “Where are you going?”

“Crooked Cave!” Bo-Bo answered. She quickly told Choi Hung what had happened in town. “Sheng has the map Uncle Gwan talked about! We’re going to find the gold there!”

“Well, it’s about time!” Choi Hung squawked.

Sheng was standing still, staring back toward town. “You know what?” he said. “It’s not fair that we have to pay this stupid tax. It’s not fair that Mr. Smeets and those awful men stole our gold. I’m starting to think maybe…”

Maybe what? Bo-Bo wondered.

Sheng shook his head. “But we don’t have a choice,” he said. “Come on, you two. Let’s get to that bridge.”