leaves and cream stuck all over my face! Just picked some
pretty red dogwood, Ben; and then I was a regular guy, with a face like
a lobster, and my eyes swelled out of sight. Come along, and learn right
away, and never get into scrapes like most fellows."

Impressed by this warning, and attracted by Thorny's enthusiasm, Ben
cast himself down upon the blanket, and for an hour the two heads bobbed
to and fro, from microscope to book, the teacher airing his small
knowledge, the pupil more and more interested in the new and curious
things he saw or heard,--though it must be confessed that Ben
infinitely preferred to watch ants and bugs, queer little worms and
gauzy-winged flies, rather than "putter" over plants with long names. He
did not dare to say so, however; but, when Thorny asked him if it wasn't
capital fun, he dodged cleverly by proposing to hunt up the flowers for
his master to study, offering to learn about the dangerous ones, but
pleading want of time to investigate this pleasing science very deeply.

As Thorny had talked himself hoarse, he was very ready to dismiss his
class of one to fish the milk-bottle out of the brook; and recess was
prolonged till next day. But both boys found a new pleasure in the
pretty pastime they made of it; for active Ben ranged the woods and
fields with a tin box slung over his shoulder, and feeble Thorny had a
little room fitted up for his own use, where he pressed flowers in
newspaper books, dried herbs on the walls, had bottles and cups, pans
and platters, for his treasures, and made as much litter as he liked.

Presently, Ben brought such lively accounts of the green nooks where
jacks-in-the-pulpit preached their little sermons; brooks, beside which
grew blue violets and lovely ferns; rocks, round which danced the
columbines like rosy elves, or the trees where birds built, squirrels
chattered, and woodchucks burrowed, that Thorny was seized with a desire
to go and see these beauties for himself. So Jack was saddled, and went
plodding, scrambling, and wandering into all manner of pleasant places,
always bringing home a stronger, browner rider than he carried away.

This delighted Miss Celia; and she gladly saw them ramble off together,
leaving her time to stitch happily at certain dainty bits of sewing,
write voluminous letters, or dream over others quite as long, swinging
in her hammock under the lilacs.

CHAPTER XIII

SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY

"'School is done,
Now