SOLDIER, SOLDIER! 



221 



loaf of bread, when piff! a tiny cloud of blue 

 smoke rose from the damp hollow where the 

 stone had lain. Surprised, confused, discomposed, 

 I looked about for the cause. The smoke cleared 

 away almost as quickly as it came, and nothing 

 was there to explain its coming. 



Quickly I turned over another stone, never be- 

 lieving that the experience would be repeated. Nor 

 was it, just then. Convinced that I had been mis- 

 taken, I continued my search for young grass- 

 hoppers. It was early spring and I was bent on 

 capturing the first hoppers for my cage. My 

 search was immediately rewarded and in my anxiety 

 to catch and transfer to my box this lively crea- 

 ture, I forgot the "smoke without fire." 



One grasshopper was not enough for my pur- 

 poses and I turned to a pile of stones a few feet 

 away. I lifted 

 one, bending 

 down quickly to 

 let nothing slip 

 my eye. Paff! 

 right in my face 

 this time came 

 the smoke, and 

 something quick 

 darted away be- 

 hind the neigh- 

 boring stone. I 

 followed, stone 

 after stone rattling down on to the pavement 

 below. No more smoke and nothing but a long- 



A PUFF OF SMOKE 



