CHINCH-BUGS 113 



could meet under that water oak the following 

 Saturday morning to start for a bug-hunt. It was 

 getting late, and having completed their plans they 

 left for their homes. 



On the next Friday morning it was raining, and 

 by noon the air had become so cold that every rain- 

 drop froze to ice. When the boys went- to their beds 

 that night they could hear the swishing of the 

 frozen rain among the ice-covered branches of the 

 trees. It did look as if there would be no bug-hunt 

 the next day. 



On Saturday morning when they awoke the sleet 

 had stopped, the sky was clear, and the sun was 

 rising in all his splendor. It was a beautiful world, 

 with rainbows glittering on every ice-covered tree 

 and bush. After an early breakfast they started for 

 the water oak. During the week they had interested 

 Mr. Minter, the pastor, in what they were trying 

 to do, and he was waiting for them at the oak tree 

 when they arrived. 



They started for Mr. Blakeley's farm because it 

 was the most slovenly looking farm in that section, 

 and they felt sure that it was the best place to look 

 for the chinch bugs. " There is plenty of rubbish 

 on his farm for the bugs to hide under during the 

 winter," they said. When they came to the pasture 

 bottom they found it flooded, with only a narrow 

 ridge of dry land left by which they could reach 



