l6 THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 



down under one of the trees, right into a whole bed of 

 blue Liverwort, and began to arrange the flowers he had 

 gathered. Johnny climbed over the wall into the Birch- 

 grove, after Early Saxifrage, and soon came back with his* 

 hands full. 



The boys soon gathered so many flowers that they 

 agreed to leave them under the nut-trees while they 

 went off for butterflies. 



" Let 's separate," said Hal, " and each see what he can 

 do alone. Then afterwards we will all meet here again. 

 Hallo, there goes a butterfly, now," — and saying this, ofl" 

 he darted after it, going over the wall and up the side 

 of the hill, almost as fast as the insect he was chasing. 



Johnny went to a little pool of water and dipped some 

 Birch branches in it, which he brought carefully back and 

 laid over the flowers to keep them fresh and protect them 

 from the sun, and then he and Tom started ofl" in oppo- 

 site directions. 



In about an hour the boys met again at the nut-tree 

 corner. 



"Well, Tom, you have got your box full, of course," 

 said Hal, as he sat down on the grass to take breath, 

 and, throwing off his cap, pushed his damp, curly hair 

 back from his forehead. 



" Now, Hal, you are too bad. You know I never tried 

 before," said Tom ; " but I have done as well as Gilbert 

 did, any way." 



