A shriek from Dot startled them all.
"I saw a snake!" she cried, running to Meg. "A horrid, nasty little green one. And now I've lost my flowers!"
Sure enough, the bouquet she had been picking was scattered in all directions.
"Don't you care," Meg comforted her. "It was only a baby water snake. Aunt Polly told Mother that's the only kind that lives round here. Honestly, snakes are all right, Dot. Lots of people don't mind 'em a bit."
"Well, I do," said Dot decidedly. "They wiggle so. Let's go home anyway."
"I think we'd better," announced Bobby. "I don't know what time it is, but I guess there's no use looking for the raft any more."
"The raft?" echoed Meg. "Oh Bobby, where is the brook?"
Bobby grinned a little sheepishly.
"We forgot about the raft, didn't we?" he said. "Let's see—we came down that path—the brook must be over there. Come on, Dot, we're going home."
Dot sat down on the ground and began to cry.
