Mrs. Lee now ventured forward to look for a moment at the still writhing
snake, and Tom then dragged it out of the house; but before throwing it
away, he cut off the rattle, which was very curious. It consisted of
thin, hard, hollow bones, linked together, somewhat resembling the
curb-chain of a bridle, and rattling at the slightest motion. Uncle John
showed him how to ascertain the age of the reptile. The extreme end,
called the button, is all it has until three years old; after that age a
link is added every year. As the snake they had just killed had thirteen
links, besides the button, it must have been sixteen years old; it
measured four feet in length, and was about as thick as a man's arm.

The unfortunate dog died after three or four hours' great suffering, and
was buried the next day at the foot of a tree in the forest. His loss
was especially felt by George, who busied himself for some hours in
raising a little mound over the grave, and then fencing it round, as a
mark of esteem, he said, for a friend.

Meanwhile the summer was slipping fast away, and October came, bringing
with it cool weather and changing leaves. The woods soon looked like
great gardens, filled with giant flowers. The maple became a vivid
scarlet, the chestnut orange, the oak a rich red brown, and the hickory
and tall locust were variegated with a deep green and delicate yellow.
Luxuriant vines, laden with clusters of ripe grapes, twined around and
festooned the trees to their summits, while the ground beneath was
strewn with the hard-shelled hickory-nut and sweet mealy chestnut, which
pattered down in thousands with the falling leaves.

It was at day-break on one of the brightest and mildest mornings of this
delightful season, that the family were awakened by the shouts of Tom,