Evergreens in Spring 



its wicked-looking eyes, and the Hemlocks 

 hid themselves behind the Alders. 



When at last we came to the clearing, w come 

 we found Pines in plenty, but, unfortu- 

 nately, the soil was rocky, and the trees 

 were hard to dislodge, and did not come 

 up with as good a ball of earth as in the 

 sandy hill where we had found them be- 

 fore ; but we packed them well away in 

 the cart, with moss about their roots, and 

 a rubber blanket to keep off the sun, and 

 pretty soon the wagon was nodding with 

 trees four or five feet high, closely jammed 

 together, and Birnam Wood was on the 

 march for Dunsinane. 



The hill had been dug the day before, 

 and some twoscore holes prepared for the 

 new-comers, so that by noon-time those 

 of the first load were all firmly wedged 

 into their beds, to be staked and tied later, 

 to prevent their rocking with the wind, 

 which gives them at present quite the air 

 of a paddock of frisky young colts, care- 

 fully hitched to prevent their getting away. 



That night there was a brisk and most 

 encouraging shower, and the next day, 

 after the rest of the holes had been filled 

 159 



