Brian asked. He and Lucy were standing behind Nate. “S-snake!” Nate said, pointing. “It’s a giant, man-eating python!” “No it isn’t,” Bradley said. “It’s just a big water snake.” “Very big!” Brian said. “Snakes are shy,” Lucy said. “I bet it’s more afraid of us than we are of it.” “It couldn’t be more afraid than I am!” Nate insisted. “It’s so beautiful,” Lucy said. “Look how shiny its scales are.” Pal lowered his nose to sniff the snake. The snake uncurled its long body and started to crawl away. “What’s the matter with its belly?” Brian asked. “It’s got a big bump!” “I think it just ate something,” Bradley said. The kids watched as the snake disappeared in the tall weeds. “What if it ate one of our eggs?” Nate said. “That bump in its belly looks like an egg!” “I saw a snake on TV that swallowed an egg whole,” Lucy told the boys. “How do they crack them open?” Brian asked. “I think their stomach muscles crack the egg once it’s inside,”
