THE VISIT OF FRANCIS 9 



For some time Peter didn't like our coming to 

 live in the old house which all his life long had 

 been closed; but now that he has grown used 

 to us, he runs and plays with me just as he does 

 with Tommy. 



Peter is a great hunter, and knows every wood- 

 chuck hole in this county. His legs are long, and 

 he can run very fast. The morning he went alone 

 with me into the woods he trotted on, always a 

 little way ahead, and then turned around some- 

 times and barked to ask if I were coming. I 

 thought perhaps he had something to tell me, and 

 twice I called him back and said : " What is It, 

 Peter; what is it? " But he only wagged his tail 

 and ran on. 



When I stopped to pick some Hepaticas, he 

 came back of his own accord, looking over the 

 ground for something. Then suddenly he put his 

 nose in a hole and began tossing up the earth and 

 leaves in a hurry. I ran to see what he could be 

 doing, and there just by his shaking head were 

 four little white flowers. Their names I now 

 know were Wind-flowers, or Wood-anemones. 



Just one delicate blossom grew alone at the top 

 of each stem, and they were not solidly white, for 

 two were tinted with blue, and the one on the 

 tallest plant was quite pinkish. The green leaves 

 underneath the flowers were divided into five, 

 sharp, little parts; and those that were not quite 

 open had a pinched-together look. 



