I turned and followed it.
"It swam slowly and with evident pain, lifting its head every few seconds high above the water, to see which way it was going.

On reaching the bank it coiled itself up, throwing up blood and water.

I took it up carefully, carried it home, and nursed it.

It soon got better, and has been a pet of mine ever since." After tea was over, and Mrs.Wood and Miss Laura had helped Adele finish the work, they all gathered in the parlor.

The day had been quite warm, but now a cool wind had sprung up, and Mr.Wood said that it was blowing up rain.
Mrs.Wood said that she thought a fire would be pleasant; so they lighted the sticks of wood in the open grate, and all sat round the blazing fire.
Mr.Maxwell tried to get me to make friends with the little snake that he held in his hands toward the blaze, and now that I knew that it was harmless I was not afraid of it; but it did not like me, and put out its funny little tongue whenever I looked at it.
By-and-by the rain began to strike against the windows, and Mr.Maxwell said, "This is just the night for a story.