FROM MOLETOWN TO BATVILLE 401 



after a pause, '' but what shall we do for stories ? Tlie 

 pictures are almost used up, and we liave climbed to 

 the top branch of the tree, and by and bj^e it will be 

 too warm for a campfire/' 



"Bless me!" exclaimed the Doctor, "liow sad you 

 are. One would tliink yon had the knowledge of the 

 whole world to carry. You have only made a little 

 fluttering excursiou in this wonderful tree, groping 

 your Avay like a Bat in a strange garret ; now you can 

 begin at the root again and stop to rest ou any branch 

 that pleases you, reading delightful books on the way. 

 Then, as soon as Nature opens her door again, the door 

 of Camp Outdoors, you cau use Camp Saturday for a 

 museum, a place where you may bring your treasures, 

 — cocoons, snake skins, twigs, stones, mosses, — all with- 

 out let or hindrance. 



"Speaking of museums, you have been so good while 

 you have been ill, and obeyed about not popping your 

 heads out of windows or doors, that I Avill tell you a 

 secret — a great surprise! 



" Dear, don't choke uie ! Dodo, you know I told you 

 tliat you mustn't luig any one until you took the stock- 

 ings off your arms, and turned from a Manatee back to 

 a little girl. 



" The secret is this ! Early iu March, wheu the days 

 grow a little longer, your father and I expect to have a 

 party, and your mother, Olive, Rap, Nat, and j'Ourself 

 are to be the p'uests. We are p-oino^ to New York to 

 spend tlie night at a hotel, and visit the Natural History 

 Museum, and also to see a few foui'-footed Americans 

 that live in the Park. I know that you often visited 

 both these })laces when you lived in tlie city, but I am 

 2d 



