I took one good look at it: no coppery head, no geometry patterns, no rattlebox, so I knew it wasn't poisonous and wouldn't bite until it was hurt, and if it did, all you had to do was to suck the place, and it wouldn't amount to more than two little pricks as if pins had stuck you; but a big snake was a good excuse.

I rolled from the floodgate among the ducks, and cried, "Snake!" They scattered everywhere.

The snake lazily uncoiled and slid across the straw so slowly that--thank goodness! Amanda Deam got a fair look at it.

She immediately began to jump up and down and scream.

Leon grabbed a stick and came running to the water.