OTHER PEDESTRIANS 



167 



a step" over the edge and had found an anchor- 

 age. Another was waving gracefully, reaching for 

 a place to gain a foothold. After the first rejoic- 

 ings over this discovery we made a compact — the 

 first of many — to keep the whereabouts of this 

 plant a secret from the rest of our party. We 

 had a zealous young botanist among us who needed 



\ 



THE "WALKING FERN," WITH ITS 

 LONG, TAPERING FRONDS 



discipline. It was well enough to gather saxifrage, 

 and violets, and even trilliums for the herbarium 

 — but when it came to rare arctic primulas and 

 walking ferns we grew reproachful, then indig- 

 nant. Why will people collect for the mere sake 

 of adding one more specimen to their stupid 

 hoards? 



So we marked carefully the location. Unless 

 some one cuts down that big yellow birch which 

 looks like a "raggedy-man," or moves that pine 

 trunk which spans the dry bed from bank to bank, 

 we shall find the place next year. Perhaps the 

 walking fern will have traveled many steps during 



