CHAPTEE II 



THE GREEN PLANT. 



All about the Chemists, Carpenters, Boatmen, and Ship-builders, that the 

 Boys and Girls found working in the Old Rain-water Trough, and 

 upon the Old Palings and Stone- Walls. 



Under the low eaves at the back of the house was 

 a long, deep wooden trough for catching the rain that 

 fell on the roof. The inside of it was all lined with a 

 beautiful green, velvety mould ; and, when there had 

 been no rain for some time, the water, too, would turn 

 a greenish color. We used to catch our little downy 

 yellow ducks and put them in the trough to see them 

 swim, and often they would break off and eat the green 

 mould with their curious shovel-bills. What this queer 

 green stuff was, and how it came there, was another 

 great mystery to us children. John declared it came 

 down in the rain, just as the angle-worms that he used 

 for fish-bait. Dick thought the fairies made it on pur- 

 pose for the ducks. I must tell you that little ducks 

 were Dick's delight ; so he thought every thing was 



