"One day last summer I was out rowing, and, getting very hot, tied my boat in the shade of a big tree.

Some village boys were in the woods, and, hearing a great noise, I went to see what it was all about.

They were Band of Mercy boys, and finding a country boy beating a snake to death, they were remonstrating with him for his cruelty, telling him that some kinds of snakes were a help to the farmer, and destroyed large numbers of field mice and other vermin.

The boy was obstinate.

He had found the snake, and he insisted upon his right to kill it, and they were having rather a lively time when I appeared.