VII 



"FLAT BUT NOT UNINTERESTING" 



STONY BROOK tumbles along, over and between 

 rounded boulders through part of its course, but 

 just below one of its principal waterfalls the char- 

 acter of the bottom changes. The stones flatten 

 out and lie upon one another more as if they had 

 come to stay, and had no notion of being rolled 

 along by the current. Over these flat stones the 

 water ripples with a most delightfully gentle voice ; 

 one loves to go there and think thoughts. 



Flat though the floor of the stream may be, it 

 abounds in interesting living things. Sometimes 

 when thoughts worth the thinking refuse to come, 

 I poke about among the loose flat stones at the 

 edge of the water. By examining closely the under 

 side of each, I am able to discover from one to a 

 dozen small squirming objects so near the color of 

 the wet stone that they seem mere moving bubbles 

 on its surface. They hurry to get to the other 

 side of the stone as if to avoid my too inquisitive 

 gaze. If I do not turn the stone quickly they will 

 disappear, and I shall pick up another hoping to 

 find larger ones. Once while thus engaged I was 

 accosted by a boy carrying a fishing rod. 



"Ketchin' bait?" he inquired, knowing by some 

 occult means that I was of his ilk. 



"No," I replied. Then to lead him on I showed 



(37) 



