102 THREE NEW FLOWERS 



" Now I will tell you how they look," I said, 

 " for I see you have never noticed them for your- 

 self." 



" I was thinking of my six girl cousins," he 

 interrupted. 



" Solomon's Seal," I began, for I had learned 

 about these wild flowers from Tommy, " is the 

 true one of them all. It is never called false. It 

 looks like a long, bended, double spray of green 

 leaves. The double look it has is because the 

 leaves grow on each side of the stalk. The 

 flowers are underneath these leaves, hanging in 

 pairs together. They are like little green bells, 

 and I think unless I had lifted up the spray of 

 leaves I might not have seen them at all. 



*' The reason it is named Solomon's Seal is be- 

 cause there are scars on its roots which look like 

 marks made with sealing-wax." 



" Do you think they look like Solomon's Seals? " 

 Philip asked. 



" I'm not exactly sure," I said. 



" Then go on." 



I told him that Solomon's Seal was not to be 

 picked. " It wouldn't make a pretty bouquet," I 

 said, " although in the woods it looks beautiful." 



Philip was sitting, half between a chair and the 

 window-seat. He might have fallen any minute, 

 but he listened to every word. 



" Is that all you have to say about it," he asked. 



I nodded, " yes." 



