THE CARDINAL FLOWER 229 



grows along roadsides, although he didn't like it 

 so well as the Early Four-leaved one we had found 

 in spring. 



This Milkweed had deep crimson flowers, and 

 long pointed leaves grew on its smooth stem. 

 The flowers were just the same shape as those 

 of all other Milkweeds, only they were larger. 

 Tommy's name for this one is Swamp Milkweed. 



With the Monkey Flowers and tall weeds and 

 grasses that were nodding close by, the stream's 

 side looked like a long bouquet creeping in and 

 out by the water. Still Tommy walked on quite 

 silently. 



Some time before he came to the Cardinal 

 Flower's bunk he knew it was in bloom. A tall 

 bit of red like fire shot up among the greens. He 

 forgot then about Peter and ran on. He didn't 

 mind how wet it was, but jumped from one hard 

 tuft of grass to another, until he came close up 

 to the Cardinal flower. 



" You're as beautiful as ever," he said, and be- 

 fore the words were out of his mouth another one 

 of the flowers burst open. He saw how it undid 

 itself as plainly as if it had been a box with a string 

 tied around. 



Cardinal Flowers grow together in long, narrow 

 bunches at the ends of their stems. They are not 

 large, but when many of them are in bloom the 

 bunch looks like one beautiful flower. While' 

 Tommy watched them he was thinking hard. 



