the middle and tail piece in the place where Michael left them, but the
head piece was gone.

The landlady on receiving the piece, which still vibrated with life,
seemed highly gratified at her acquisition; and, over and above the
promised reward, regaled her lodgers very plentifully with the choicest
dainties in her house. Fired with curiosity to know the purpose for
which the serpent was intended, the wily Michael Scott was immediately
seized with a severe fit of indisposition, which caused him to prefer the
request that he might be allowed to sleep beside the fire, the warmth of
which, he affirmed, was in the highest degree beneficial to him.

Never suspecting Michael Scott's hypocrisy, and naturally supposing that
a person so severely indisposed would feel very little curiosity about
the contents of any cooking utensils which might lie around the fire, the
landlady allowed his request. As soon as the other inmates of the house
were retired to bed, the landlady resorted to her darling occupation;
and, in his feigned state of indisposition, Michael had a favourable
opportunity of watching most scrupulously all her actions through the
keyhole of a door leading to the next apartment where she was. He could
see the rites and ceremonies with which the serpent was put into the
oven, along with many mysterious ingredients. After which the
unsuspicious landlady placed the dish by the fireside, where lay the
distressed traveller, to stove till the morning.

Once or twice in the course of the night the "wife of the change-house,"
under the pretence of inquiring for her sick lodger, and administering to
him some renovating cordials, the beneficial effects of which he
gratefully acknowledged, took occasion to dip her finger in her saucepan,
upon which the cock, perched on his roost, crowed aloud. All Michael's