The Emmett index., 1912-02-08


trail. Freckles saw Duncan's
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 a run, but
the cry that reached him was. '"rhe
books have cOme"
They found books on birds, trees,
flowers, moths and butterflies. There
was also one containing Breckles'
bullfroe, true to life. And besides
these were butterfly net, a natural
lists tin specimen box. bottle or
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 IL and won
dered what II was. The folded net
hung by the boys hatchet. and the
bird book was in the box. He walked
the line and tested each section scrupu-
lously. watching every foot of the trail,
for he was determined not to slight his
work. But II ever boy made haste
slowly" in hurry II 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
~ wild rose climbed TO the lower
branches OF the trees. Part of his
walls were mallow, part alder, thorn,
willow and dogwood. Below there
filed In a 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 a row OF water hya-
cinths without disturbing in the least
the state Of their azure S.oom. and
where the ground rose higher for his
floor a row OF foxdre that would soon
be open.
To the left be had discovered queer
natural arrangement OF the trees that
grew TO giant size and were set in
gradually narrowing space so that a
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
floor and carpeting OF moss. made IL
easy TO understand why Freckles had
named this the cathedral" yet he had
never been taught that "the groves
were Gods first temples"
On either side OF the trees that con-
stituted the FIRST arch Of this dim vista
of the swamp he planted ferns that
grew waist high this early in the sea
son. and so skillfully had the work
been done that not frond dropped
because Of the change. Opposite be
cleared space and made a fiowerbed
Every day saw the addition OF new
specimens.
On the line side he left the bushes
thick for cOncealment aud entered by
a narrow path he and Duncan had
cleared In setting up the case. He
called this the front door, though he
used every precaution 10 hide II. He
built rustic seats between several OF
the trees, leyeled the foor and thickly
carpeted il with rank heavy woolly dog |
moss. About the case he planted wild |
clematis. bittersweet and wild grape
vines and trained them over II until |
II was almost covered.
This morning Freckles walked |
straight TO his case. unlocked II and |
set his apparatus and dinner inside. |
He took out the birdbook. turned 10
the section headed ~" Past 'veery"
and "vireo" he went. on down the line |
until his finger. trembling with eager
ness. stopped at ''yulture."
Great black California vulture,"
he read.
"Humphl This side the Rockies will
do for u.s."
Common turkey buzzard.'"
"Well, we amt hunting common tur
keys. Mclean said chickens, and
what be says goes"
"'Black vulture of the south"