THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 83 



boys knew that the girls had some secret plans about the 

 Festival, so they tried their best to tease Rose to tell 

 about them. Just then they saw a bristling array of 

 rakes and pitchforks coming up the hill, and soon the 

 whole butterfly class appeared, each boy carrying a rake 

 or a pitchfork over his shoulder. 



" Hallo, boys," said Hal, springing forward to meet them, 

 " where are you bound .'' " 



. "You told us that you and Tom were going into the 

 hay-field this morning," said Ben Wait, "so we thought 

 you ought not to have the frolic all by yourselves." 



" I 've brought my butterfly net," said little Frank. 

 " I 'm going to catch ever so many butterflies while the 

 rest make hay." 



"Take care that some butterfly does not catch you, 

 Master Puck," said Rose ; but Frank was already over 

 the wall and capering ofl" across the field. 



"You are just in time, boys," said Hal; "there is grass 

 enough down for us all to work at, and by this time it 

 ought to be spread out to dry." 



They all started off" towards the field, Tom and Hal 

 stopping at the barn on the way for their pitchforks. As 

 they were going down the lane Rose called after them : 

 "When you are tired, boys, go to the Elm in the centre 

 of the lot, and there you will find something to rest you." 



"That 's just like Rose," said Ben Wait; "she always 

 knows what is good for boys." 



