298 REAL AUTUMN 



of a whistle, though, that used to make Peter jump 

 and run after him. His cap was pulled down over 

 his face, and although Philip had told me that 

 Uncle Hiram had a puppy in his barn which he was 

 going to give Tommy, I kept the secret. 



" Peter doesn't look pretty with all those prickly 

 seeds sticking to him," I said. 



" No," Tommy answered, " but he is growing 

 more of a tramp every day. It's just like some of 

 those autumn plants to have found out that Peter 

 is a good one to help them sow their seeds. They 

 are more clever than all the spring and autumn 

 flowers put together." 



Just then I looked at Tommy's stockings. In 

 some places they were quite green, owing to the 

 mischievous seeds. Then he saw that my frock 

 was also covered with them. 



We had to sit down by the roadside and pick 

 them off one by one. 



" Let us mark this place," I said, " and come 

 back next year to see the plants that have grown 

 through them. 



" Oh, the wind will blow many of them away, 

 and some of them will not take root," Tommy 

 said. " Dame Nature has to make and sow hun- 

 dreds of seeds sometimes before even a few plants 

 come up that are strong and perfect." 



But we did mark the spot. It was the side of 

 a wall where a Great Mullen grows, and which 

 farther along is covered with Poison Ivy. 



