Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-01-26
g :::,.= = 2
F: RECklES
BY
Gene SnraGG01a-
Porter
COPYRIGHT. 1904. BY DOUBLEDAY. PACE
NJ
CHAPTER v.
r1rcx1Es FACES TROUBLE.

lRECKLES FACES TROUBLE.
~)OMING from long day on the
trail, Freckles saw Duncan'E
children awaiting him much
" closer the swale than they
usually ventured. and from their Wild
gestures he knew that something had
happened. he broke into run, but
the cry that reached him was. 'The
books have GOMEZ"
They found books on birds, trees.
flowers, moths and butterflies. There
was also one containing Frcckles'
bullfrog, true to life. And besides
these were butterfly net. natural
lists tin specimen box, a bottle OF
gasoline. box Of cotton, paper OF
long steel specimen pins and a letter
telling what all these things were and
how to use them.
At the discovery Of each new treas
, ure Freckles shouted, "Will you be
looking at this now!'
Mrs. Duncan cried, "Weel. be
drawed on"
When Freckles started for the trail!
next morning the shining new speci-
men box flashed on his back. The
black "chicken." a mere speck In the
blue. caught the CLEAN of 1t and Won
dered what it was. The folded net
hung BY the boys Ratchet. and the
bird book was in the box. He walked
the line and tested each section scrupu-
lousy. watching every foot Of the trail.
for he was determined not to Slight his
work. But II ever boy "made haste
slowly" in hurry it was Freckles that
morning. When at last he reached the
space he had cleared out and fitted up
around his case his heart swelled with
the pride Of possessing even SO much
that he could call his own.
He had made large room With the
door Of the case set even with one side
Of it. On three sides fine big bushes
Of wild rose climbed to the lower
branches Of the trees. Part Of his
walls were mallow. part alder. thorn.
willow and Gogwood. Below there
filled in solid mass Of pale pink sheep
laurel and yellow st. Johns wort.
while the amber threads Of the dodder
interlaced everywhere. At one side
the swamp came close and cattails
grew in profusion. In front OF them
he had planted row Of water hya-
cinths without disturbing in the least
The state Of their azure bloom. and
where the ground rose higher for Ills
foor q row Of foxf1re that would soon
be open.
To the left he had discovered quees
natural arrangement OF the trees that
grew to giant size and were set In q
gradually narrowing space so that q
| long, open vista stretched away until
lost in the dim recesses Of the swamp.
A little trimming back Of underbush
rolling out Of dead logs. leveling OF
6oor and carpeting OF moss. made it
easy to understand why Freckles had
pa med this the cathedral" yet he had
never been taught that the groves
were Gods first temples"
On either side of the trees that con-
ptituted the first arch of this dim vista
Of the swamp be planted ferns that
grew waist high this early in the sea-
son. and SO skil.fulIy had the work
been done that not frond dropped
because Of the change. Opposite be
| cleared space and made iowerbed.
Every day saw the addition Of new
specimens.
On the line side be left the bushes
thick for conceaIment and entered by
70 narrow Path he and Duncan had
cleared in setting up the case. He
called this the front door. though he
used every precaution to hide ii. He
| bEilt rustic seats between several OF
| ibe trees. leyeled the floor and thickly
| .arpeted it with rank. heavy woolly dog
! moss. About the case he planted wild
! .lena.is. bittersweet and wild grape
vines and trained them over 1t until
Il was almost covered.
This morning Freckles walked
straight to his case. unlocked it and
T set his apparatus and dinner inside.
Ele took out the birdbook. turned to
me section headed w" Past "veery''
and "vtreo'' he went. on down the line
an,il h!s finger. trembling with eager.
ness. stopped at culture"
".Great black California vulture,'
be read.
.Humph: This side the Rockies will
30 for u.s."
common turkey buzzard.'"
! "Well. we amt hunting common tur
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