THE CARDINAL FLOWER 231 



his hiding-place and frightened the bee away with 

 his hat. " You won't have a feast without doing 

 any work for It while I am here." He didn't 

 notice that he had torn his stockings. 



But the Humming-bird was frightened as well 

 as the bee; and although Tommy sat down again 

 and waited quietly a long time it didn't come 

 back. 



Higher up the stream Tommy saw a few other 

 Cardinal Flowers that had burst open. He picked 

 one of them to take to Grandmother. Afterward 

 he began to feel hungry and wondered if it were 

 time for breakfast. He walked back by the little 

 path which we take to the village. It was shady 

 that way, and the sun had grown very hot. He 

 felt lonely without Peter, and hoped he would 

 spring up from the kennel when he heard him com- 

 ing. As he went along he whistled as loudly as he 

 could, but he saw nothing of the dog. 



After he had had breakfast he came over to 

 show us the Cardinal Flower. It was quite faded, 

 and although we put it in very hot water, it would 

 not stand up straight again as Tommy had seen 

 it by the stream. 



Grandmother said: "It's a true wlldling and 

 looks best out In the meadow where things are 

 green and sunny." 



Its leaves are not pretty like those of Columbine. 

 They even look more like weeds than those of 

 Monkey Flower. I thought as Grandmother did. 



