THE BUTTERFLY HUNTERS. 1 63 



"No, Mary. They must catch the Queen first, or go 

 without any of us." 



It was not long before the company, especially the boys, 

 came trooping back to the green. They were on tiptoe 

 to know about catching the Queen. When they were all 

 assembled. Rose stood up by Annie and said that the 

 Queen would now yield up her place as head of the 

 Festival to any boy who could catch her. "The boy 

 who succeeds," said Rose, "shall stand with the Queen 

 at the head of the table and be hailed King of the 

 Festival. If the Queen conquers all her subjects she 

 shall have the right to choose her own companion." 



By order of the girls the boys had built two seats on 

 the throne, and they were now to fight for the right of 

 occupying the vacant one by Annie's side. Rose said she 

 thought the boys would yield to Mr. Benedict the right 

 to make the first trial. 



"No, no, we won't do that," said Tom, Hal, and a dozen 

 others at once. 



"Then you must draw lots for chances," said Rose. 



Tom wrote some numbers on little pieces of paper and 

 they were all shaken together in a basket, which Rose 

 held, and each boy drew out one ticket. Only the boys 

 belonging to the butterfly class were allowed to draw. 



" Number one ! " shouted Joe Dane, as he waved his 

 ticket triumphantly over his head. 



