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.

Tell us something out of your experience, won't you, Mr.Wood ?" "What shall I tell you ?" he said, good-humoredly.

He was sitting between his wife and Mr.Harry, and had his hand on Mr.Harry's knee.
"Something about animals," said Mr.Maxwell.

"We seem to be on that subject to-day." "Well," said Mr.Wood, "I'll talk about something that has been running in my head for many a day.

There is a good deal of talk nowadays about kindness to domestic animals; but I do not hear much about kindness to wild ones.