176 PHILIP'S HUNT 



narrow. Philip remembered that these Loose- 

 strifes sometimes bore queer little things looking 

 like bulbs, instead of flowers, and that this was 

 why they were called Bulb-bearing Loosestrifes. 



The reason a whole family of these plants is 

 called Loosestrife is because long ago a relative 

 of theirs in Europe was believed to be able to 

 stop cattle from quarreling. Farmers used to tie 

 it on their yokes to loose their strife. I think per- 

 haps cattle don't quarrel in this country, but any- 

 way even Tommy's father has never seen a Loose- 

 strife tied on their heads here, and if he did he 

 says he should think it was to keep flies away. 



Philip remembered all this when he saw the 

 Bulb-bearing Loosestrifes, and he also knew then 

 that he came into this meadow from another side 

 than when he went there with Tommy. 



He started on again, but his foot was so sore 

 he could hardly walk at all, and part of the way he 

 held it up and hopped on the other one. He was 

 still a long way from home, for that swampy mea- 

 dow is beyond Miss Amelia's woods. 



Out on the road he saw Uncle Hiram coming 

 along in his phaeton. Philip called out to him 

 and Uncle Hiram took him in and drove him 

 home. Uncle Hiram told him the noise he had 

 heard was nothing but an old cow bellowing, and 

 he laughed a good deal because Philip had lost 

 his way. It was nearly seven o'clock when they 

 reached Warley Towers, but it was still light, for 



