36 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



time. They carried some large pieces of the wood up to the 

 boat-house for living caterpillars to feed on, and reinserted the 

 pupae in their wooden chambers, where they were safely kept 

 until their appearance in July. 



The caterpillars of the white butterflies which Dick had 

 collected under Mary's instructions had some time since come 

 out, and it was a very pretty sight to see the chrysalis split at 

 the head and the insect creep out with its wings all wet and 

 crumpled, and then to watch them gradually expand to their 

 full size and dry and harden, until the perfect insect was ready 

 for flight, when with a few flaps of its wings, as if to try them, 

 it would launch into the sunshine with a strong swift flight. 



CHAPTER VII. 



A Trial Sail. Preparing for a Cruise. Charging a Reed Bed. An explo- 

 sion of Birds. The First Adventure. Orange-Tip Butterfly No Salt. 

 How Salt is obtained. 



THE project of the cruise was not allowed to drop. The more 

 the boys thought about it the more they determined to take it. 

 The first thing to do was to obtain the consent of their elders. 

 Mr. Merivale had no great objection to it. Sir Richard Carleton 

 was so pleased with the rapid improvement in the health and 

 spirits of his son that he would have consented to anything he 

 proposed. Indeed, he was so anxious to help the boys in all 

 their undertakings, that he would have spoilt them too much 

 had it not been for the advice of Mr. Merivale, who said to 

 him 



" Don't let the boys think they can have anything they like 

 for the asking, or you will spoil their independence of character. 

 Depend upon it they will find far more delight in making things 

 for themselves than in having them bought for them, and it will 

 do them more good." 



Sir Richard saw the wisdom of this advice, but he insisted 

 upon giving them a book on botany ; and one day when the 



