44 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 



when I rubbed the mud out of my eyes and looked round, 

 the butterfly had flown away." 



"Then you gave up the butterflies, I fancy, and gathered 

 flowers," said Annie. " I did not know the Sweet Vibur- 

 num was in blossom." 



" What did you call it, Annie ? Do you mean this large 

 branch with pinkish white flowers ? " asked Tom. 



" No, that is Azalea. You gathered that down in the 

 Swamp. This Sweet Viburnum grows round the stone 

 walls." 



"They are both very pretty flowers," said Tom, "and 

 this Azalea smells sweet as Honeysuckle." 

 ' "Azalea is commonly called Swamp Honeysuckle," said 

 Annie, " and I think it is the sweetest name. It makes 

 one think of the cool, damp places where it grows. See 

 how the flowers are crusted over with honey-dew. If you 

 handle them they adhere together," and Annie crushed a 

 few of the blossoms gently in her hand. 



" Honey-dew ! " said Tom ; " it should be called honey 

 glue : see how those blossoms stick together ! The flowers 

 are sweeter than the — what did you call it, Annie .'' " 



" Sweet Viburnum, Tom. Yes, I think the Azalea has 

 the sweetest flower, but the shrub is coarser than the Vi- 

 burnum." 



By this time the other boys came from school, and Tom 

 went home with Hal. * 



