THE FROG WHICH DIDN'T 133 



undergoing the process of digestion, as it had 

 already lost its hind toes ; which sounds horribly, 

 shudderingly, gruesome; but there is the fact, 

 nevertheless. The C. S. gave it a kindly helping 

 push towards the water, and in it went and dis- 

 appeared. If that frog could only write its own 

 memoirs, what an experience it could relate ; or the 

 frog meeting Jonah, and the two fraternising over 

 cheroots after dinner ! The frog could give points 

 to Jonah, as he had been half digested, though he 

 had not been swallowed for a quarter of the time 

 that Jonah had. 



Well now, I have been getting on extremely 

 well with my ferns that are to go in the C. S.'s new 

 house, which is growing apace. I began on the 

 day that the 2 inches of rain fell, when I was 

 caught at the far end of the garden, with no possi- 

 bility of getting home. Into the old potting-shed 

 I went, and there I stayed till the storm was over. 

 The shafts of lightning were very vivid, and the 

 rain came down in cataracts. The fern earth was 

 already dried in the shed, one part leaf mould, one 

 part garden earth, half a part of broken-up roofing ; 

 and with the assistance of an active boy, I then 



