Ram's-Heads in Witch Hollow 



99 



supposed that I could find the spring in the dark; but 

 I penetrated the thicket a little north of the right place, 

 by the slab-bridge where, in rainy seasons, the water 

 drains from the hills. Hunting around, however, to 

 learn where the spring lay, I stumbled straight upon a 

 little company of Ram's-Head I^ady's Slippers. In 

 my pleasure and excitement, I exclaimed, " Here are 

 Ram's-Heads ! " frightening my friend so that she ran 

 clear out of the thicket. She soon returned, however, 

 when assured that there was no danger, -and admired 

 the rare little flock with me. There were only a dozen 

 plants in the group, none of course in blossom; but 

 several bore plump seed-capsules, proving that they 

 had bloomed early in the season. I determined to 

 return to this nook another day. 



The next morning I started off cross-lots, over the 

 hills afoot, to my sylvan shades, carrying my usual 

 basket and kit of tools, with an added two-quart pail, 

 which I promised to fill with raspberries. These 

 berries were plentiful, I had observed, through the 

 John-Fallow sheep pastures. Here I found a spring 

 trickling from the shelving slate rocks, and this guided 

 me through a meandering network of swamps, all the 

 way to Cold Spring, in Witch Hollow below. 



Major frisked about among the fields, and we had a 

 happy time sliding down the dry and slippery pasture 

 slopes. There, at the foot of the hill, we entered a 

 deep, dark woodland,— just Major and I, who are faith- 

 ful, congenial comrades. My constant hound is ever 

 ready to follow my footsteps, and if he chances to lose 



