“I don’t know. Where we’re going.”
“We’re not going anywhere, are we?”
“Well, you are a fellow! Come galloping off here into the fen, and then say you don’t know where we’re going!”
“I did it to get away from that Thorpeley. What shall we do?”
“Pst! Look there! What’s that?”
“Snake!”
“No; it’s an adder. Look!”
“’Tisn’t,” said Dick; “it’s a snake. Adders aren’t so long as that. No, no; don’t throw at it. Let’s see what it’s going to do.”
The reptile was crossing the track from a tuft of alders, and seemed to be about three feet long and unusually thick, while, as it reached the dense heath and rushes, interspersed with grey coral moss on that side, it disappeared for a few moments, and they thought it had gone; but directly after it reappeared, gliding over a rounded tuft of bog-moss, and continued its way.
“Why, it’s going to that pool!” cried Dick.