THE WALKS ABROAD OF 



while walking, stooped from time to time to look at 

 them, and, his curiosity being sharpened, he plied his 

 cousin with questions. 



" Are star-fishes animals ? " 



" Yes, of course." 



" And how do they live ? " 



" Come along, I will tell you afterwards." 



"And this pretty plant, without any stalk, with 

 coloured petals, blossoming in this pool of water? " 



" This plant is an animal, and the animal is called 

 a sea anemone. But come along, or you will see that 

 we shall be caught by the tide." 



"Really, really? Well, now, I have a great mind 

 to pluck it." 



" Well, pluck it and see ! " 



But as he stretched out his hand to take it the 

 anemone quickly closed itself, leaving externally only 

 the appearance of a gelatinous shapeless mass, not, 

 however, without having first squirted a jet of liquid 

 into the face of the young inquirer. 



" Not polite, dear beast, not at all polite ! " And 

 laughing at his misfortune, the two young men quickly 

 made their way towards home. 



Uncle Bob was waiting for them at the door. " Eh, 

 well, have you had a successful fishing to begin with ? " 

 he asked. 



"A very poor one," said Rene, "three crabs, one 

 star-fish. Ah! but I was forgetting; we have also 



