A QUEER UMBRELLA. TANDEM. 123 



" Well, no wonder. Why didn't you put it up ? " 



" It is not an umbrella at all, but a butterfly-net ? and he 

 unfolded the supposed umbrella and opened it out into a good- 

 sized butterfly-net. 



" I did not much like to be seen carrying a great butterfly- 

 net through the town, so I thought this a good dodge to save 

 appearances, and lo and behold it serves me this trick- the first 

 time I carry it." 



" Well, it could not help the rain, Dick," said Frank laughing. 



These umbrella-nets are capital things, although they are use- 

 less in a shower. The reader may easily make one for himself in 

 this way : Get an old umbrella-stick and place the catch which 

 holds the umbrella open, lower down, so as to increase the dia- 

 meter of your net ; then get two slips of strong crinoline steel, 

 make the ends red hot, and bend them with a pliers into little 

 loops. Then fasten one end of each to the top of the stick 

 with a piece of wire, and the other ends to the sliding ferrule. 

 When this ferrule is pushed up to the catch the steels form a 

 circle, to which the net can be attached. Slip the ferrule back, 

 and the net can be rolled up round the stick just like an 

 ordinary umbrella, and a case put over it. A very handy and 

 useful net is thus formed, and one which is very portable. If 

 you do not care to make it, it may be bought from a dealer 

 for a small sum, but I should advise every boy to make himself 

 all the things he can. He will thus not only save his money 

 to buy those things which he cannot make, but he will (which is 

 far more important) learn how to turn his hand to useful pur- 

 poses, and encourage habits of self-reliance which will be very 

 useful to him in after life. In addition to this, one gets far 

 more pleasure from using a thing one has made oneself, than 

 one which has been bought. 



About twelve o'clock the rain cleared away and they decided 

 to start. So the horses were harnessed in a dog-cart belonging 

 to the inn, which also supplied them with the tandem harness, 

 and the turn-out, which looked very creditable, was brought 

 to the front of the inn. and the boys took their seats. Frank 

 and Dick sat in front, and Jimmy and the groom behind. Frank 

 felt nervous as he took hold of the reins, but pretended to feel 

 quite at his ease. To his astonishment their steeds started off 

 very quietly ; and as the streets were very clear of traffic, they 

 got out of the town without any accident. As soon, however, 



