190 UP AND DOWN THE BROOKS. 



of the four started. They were looking at one of 

 their number who, as far as I could judge, had a 

 little while before this fallen into the brook and 

 was in the process of being, restored to dryness, 

 his jacket being spread out on the grass. " Na- 

 ture's unhoused lyceum" had more charms for the 

 four than that school-house on the hill, and they 

 passed me afterwards, bent on some errand by the 

 brookside, yet stopping to inquire if I had found 

 anything ; meaning bugs, of course. 



I have one fear. It is this. I came up a bank 

 a while ago, and in the road above it were a num- 

 ber of school children playing. As I passed with 

 my dredger covered with paper, and my spoon 

 and bottle held unostentatiously in my hand, T 

 heard in the midst of the noise and confusion 

 what sounded like an indistinct remark about 

 " frogs." There seemed to be no appropriateness 

 in such a reference except that I was near. Now 

 I can endure with equanimity being called a " fish- 

 lady." That is an honorable business. But, if 

 I am about to be looked upon as a " lady that 

 catches frogs," I demur. My heart begins to fail 

 me at the prospect. 



The boys do not suspect me of such a thing, or 

 they might not tell me of their trades so freely as 

 they do. How wicked should I be to take advan- 

 tage of them and steal their business ! 



But this Frenchman and his brother are far 

 from being like " poor Tom that eats the swirn- 



