"I suppose we will experiment some day, and find out that lightning is no more dangerous than the rain-drops," ventured Hilda.
"It doesn't appear to be imminent though!" laughed Jane.
"What makes lightning, Miss Miller?" asked Elena.
"It is caused by a sudden discharge of atmospheric electricity. The identity of lightning was discovered by our Benjamin Franklin in America and Romas in France. There are several kinds of lightning, forked lightning being the dangerous kind. Heat lightning is seen in the skies at night after an unusually hot day. Sheet lightning spreads over a great surface and is of various colours. Chain lightning is swift, in long rippling lines looking like links of a chain. Globular lightning is a ball of fire and travels slower than the former kinds."
The girls were intensely interested in the teacher's explanations, but the rain was ceasing and the thunder sounded farther off.
"Some day we will take up the subject of electricity and look thoroughly into its claims. When you find out more about it you will lose much of your dread of it. The same plan might be adopted by Elena and the snakes. The more she knows about reptiles the less she will fear them, and the more interesting they become. You will look upon them as the living creature formed by the Creator. Then, you will unconsciously extend to them the admiration due them for their various ways of doing good to the earth upon which they live."
"Ugg! Who could ever admire a snake! After the way that slippery thing felt when I had a grip on it! I shall never want to hold one again," said Elena, shuddering.
"That is why I mentioned it again. If you girls had ever studied that form of life you would be surprised how beautiful and interesting snakes are. Maybe we will find time to catch a few specimens and watch them in captivity. I brought a splendid magnifying glass with me, and several pads for taking down notes. We can rig up a small shack and construct some furniture for it; it will be our scientific bureau where all our insects and other interesting data can be prepared and kept."
"Your plan sounds awfully jolly, if you don't make us catch the snakes!" said Elena.
"When it comes to providing the specimen we will take turns," replied the teacher.