68 UP AND DOWN THE BROOKS. 



" Oh, a pit of clay for to be made 

 For such a guest is meet. ' ' 



He made no answer to this bit of good advice, 

 but he must have taken it to heart, for in the 

 afternoon when I visited him and gently assisted 

 him partly out of the lake, he took the hint and 

 came entirely out. Poking his head down under 

 a clod, he remained in that position quite a while, 

 perhaps revolving in his mind the momentous 

 question whether the earth was indeed a better 

 place of residence than Coffee - Pot - Lid - Lake. 

 He occasionally wriggled his tail, breathing yet 

 through that useful member. He gradually be- 

 came drier. He had been afflicted with quick, 

 convulsive pants, presumably useful to him in 

 getting rid of the water that clung to him. Half 

 an hour went by. A mosquito, delighted with 

 the stillness of the observer, persistently en- 

 deavored to make a meal off that much-enduring 

 person, but was at last slapped to death. Various 

 flies were also afflicted with curiosity as to why 

 any mortal should be sitting on the piazza in 

 their way. Growing impatient at last, I picked a 

 sprig and gave the Conqueror a little prick there- 

 with. So successful was this manoeuvre that 

 the surprised Conqueror executed a somersault 

 and landed on his back. I think he had been 

 asleep. Recovering his dignity the Conqueror 

 turned his head toward his lake. But he re- 

 mained on land. I was called away on an 



