29 
with my greatly esteemed naturalist friend. 
So on a stormy morning in December I breasted 
wind and snow in a laborious tramp along the. 
Delaware’s shore toward the hermitage, crossed 
the frozen river, received a hearty welcome 
from both Petro and Pluto, and was soon after 
cozily seated in the warm embrace of the old 
hermit’s cheery “ den.” 
The Count’s reception on that stormy De- 
cember morning, after weeks of grievous sep- 
aration, was hearty and affectionate. I was 
impressed by his kind welcome that my pres- 
ence was most congenial to, and highly prized 
by my sincere and honest naturalist friend. 
“T am so pleased to see you again, my dear 
Fritz, that I am tempted to lay aside my labors 
and devote my whole time to-day, to insuring 
your comfort and enjoying your return to me.” 
“Ah, my dear Count, you know full well it 
needs no waste of precious time to assure me 
of your true and hearty delight to again wel- 
come me back to the hermitage. Our mutual 
pleasure on this occasion of our happy re-union 
after weeks of grievous separation will be most 
fully and satisfactorily manifested in an earnest 
and profitable consideration of the labor that 
fell to our hands while absent, one from the 
other.” 
“You speak truly and wisely, my Fritz, so I 
will at once return to the enjoyable labor in 
which I was engaged when your most desired 
presence interrupted me. I will now devote 
