g the edge of the pond looking
for flowers within reach. As usual, they were just out of reach and no
more. So he had to take off shoes and socks, turn up the legs of his
trousers, and wade in after them. "Look at that now!" he said with pride
as he returned with his booty, "Nymphaea odorata, Nuphar advena, and
Brasenia peltata; aren't they beauties?"

"What is that black object on your leg?" the dominie managed to gasp.

"I'm thankful to you for saying that, my kind friend, for it's a
murdering leech."

"Salt is the only thing to take them off with," remarked Wilkinson
really interested; "and that is just what we are deficient in."

"I say, Wilks, try a drop of the crater on him; don't waste the
blessings of Providence, but just let the least particle fall on his
nose, while I scrape him off."

The surgical operation succeeded, and the schoolmaster half forgot his
own troubles in doing good to his friend. While the latter was
reclothing his feet, and pressing his specimens, the maple branch ceased
working, and its owner finely apostrophized the field of white and
yellow blossoms.

There sits the water lily like a sovereign,
Her little empire is a fairy world,
The purple dragon-fly above it hovering,
As when her fragile ivory uncurled,
A thousand years ago.

"Bravo, Wilks, if you are poaching on my preserves; but I wish that same
purple dragon-fly would hover round here in thousands for a minute. It's
a pleasure to see them sail along and gobble up the mosquitoes."

The dominie continued:--

To-day I saw the dragon-fly
Come from the wells where he did lie.

An inner impulse rent the veil
Of his old husk; from head to tail
Came out clear plates of sapphire mail.

He dried his wings: like gauze they grew,
Thro' crofts and pastures wet with dew
A living flash of light he flew.

"Hurroo!" cried Coristine, as with knapsack readjusted, he took his
companion by the arm and resumed the journey; "Hurroo again, I say, it's
into the very heart of nature we're getting now. Bless the mosquito and
the leech for opening the well of English undefiled."

Wilkinson was wound up to go, and repeated with fine conversational
effect:--

But now, perplexed by what th' old man had said,
My question eagerly did I renew
How is it that you live, and what is it you do?

He, with a smile, did then his words repeat;
And said, that, g