ying five fine cocoons of different species as her reward. She
pushed back her hair and gazed around longingly. A few rods inside she
thought she saw cocoons on a bush, to which she went, and found several.
Sense of caution was rapidly vanishing; she was in a fair way to
forget everything and plunge into the swamp when she thought she heard
footsteps coming down the trail. She went back, and came out almost
facing Pete Corson.

That ended her difficulty. She had known him since childhood. When she
sat on the front bench of the Brushwood schoolhouse, Pete had been one
of the big boys at the back of the room. He had been rough and wild,
but she never had been afraid of him, and often he had given her pretty
things from the swamp.

"What luck!" she cried. "I promised mother I would not go inside the
swamp alone, and will you look at the cocoons I've found! There are more
just screaming for me to come get them, because the leaves will fall
with the first frost, and then the jays and crows will begin to tear
them open. I haven't much time, since I'm going to school. You will go
with me, Pete! Please say yes! Just a little way!"

"What are those things?" asked the man, his keen black eyes staring at
her.

"They are the cases these big caterpillars spin for winter, and in the
spring they come out great night moths, and I can sell them. Oh, Pete, I
can sell them for enough to take me through high school and dress me
so like the others that I don't look different, and if I have very good
luck I can save some for college. Pete, please go with me?"

"Why don't you go like you always have?"

"Well, the truth is, I had a little scare," said Elnora. "I never did
mean to go alone; sometimes I sort of wandered inside farther than I
intended, chasing things. You know Duncan gave me Freckles's books, and
I have been gathering moths like he did. Lately I found I could sell
them. If I can make a complete collection, I can get three hundred
dollars for it. Three such collections would take me almost through
college, and I've four years in the high school yet. That's a long time.
I might collect them."

"Can every kind there is be found here?"

"No, not all of them, but when I get more than I need of one kind, I
can trade them with collectors farther north and west, so I can complete
sets. It's the only way I see to earn the money. Look what I have
already. Big gray Cecropias come from this kind; brown Polyphemus from
that, and gre