CHAPTER XII GOOD TIMES

etalous.Stamens,morethanten.Stamensonthereceptacle.Pistils,morethanoneandseparate.Leaveswithoutstipules.Crowfootfamily.Genusranunculus.Botanicalname,Ranunculusbulbosus." "Jerusalem!whataflower!Pistolsandcrows'feet,andPollyputthekettleson,andAngyspermsandalltherestof'em!Ifthat'syourbotany,Iwon'ttakeanymore,thankyou,"saidBen,ashepausedashotandredasifhehadbeenrunningarace. "Yes,youWillyou'lllearnthatallbyheart,andthenIshallgiveyouadandeliontodo.You'lllikethat,becauseitmeansdentdelion,orlion'stoothandI'llshowthemtoyouthroughmyglass.You'venoideahowinterestingitis,andwhatheapsofprettythingsyou'llsee,"answeredThorny,whohadalreadydiscoveredhowcharmingthestudywas,andhadfoundgreatsatisfactioninit,sincehehadbeenforbiddenmoreactivepleasures. "What'sthegoodofit,anyway?"askedBen,whowouldratherhavebeensettomowingthebigfieldthantothetaskbeforehim. "Ittellsallaboutitinmybookhere,—'Gray'sBotanyforYoungPeople.'ButIcantellyouwhatuseitistous,"continuedThorny,crossinghislegsintheairandpreparingtoarguethematter,comfortablylyingflatonhisback."WeareaScientificExplorationSociety,andwemustkeepanaccountofalltheplants,animals,minerals,andsoon,aswecomeacrossthem.Then,supposewegetlost,andhavetohuntforfood,howarewetoknowwhatissafeandwhatisn't?Come,now,doyouknowthedifferencebetweenatoadstoolandamushroom?" "No,Idon't." "ThenI'llteachyousomeday.Thereissweetflagandpoisonousflag,andallsortsofberriesandthingsandyou'dbetterlookoutwhenyouareinthewoods,oryou'lltouchivyanddogwood,andhaveahorridtime,ifyoudon'tknowyourbotany." "Thornylearnedmuchofhisbysadexperienceandyouwillbewisetotakehisadvice,"saidMissCelia,recallingherbrother'svariousmishapsbeforethenewfancycameon. "Didn'tIhaveatimeofit,though,whenIhadtogoroundforaweekwithplantainleavesandcreamstuckallovermyface!Justpickedsomeprettyreddogwood,BenandthenIwasaregularguy,withafacelikealobster,andmyeyesswelledoutofsight.Comealong,andlearnrightaway,andnevergetintoscrapeslikemostfellows." Impressedbythiswarning,andattractedbyThorny'senthusiasm,Bencasthimselfdownupontheblanket,andforanhourthetwoheadsbobbedtoandfro,frommicroscopetobook,theteacherairinghissmallknowledge,thepupilmoreandmoreinterestedinthenewandcuriousthingshesaworheard,—thoughitmustbeconfessedthatBeninfinitelypreferredtowatchantsandbugs,queerlittlewormsandgauzy-wingedflies,ratherthan"putter"overplantswithlongnames.Hedidnotdaretosayso,howeverbut,whenThornyaskedhimifitwasn'tcapitalfun,hedodgedcleverlybyproposingtohuntuptheflowersforhismastertostudy,offeringtolearnaboutthedangerousones,butpleadingwantoftimetoinvestigatethispleasingscienceverydeeply. AsThornyhadtalkedhimselfhoarse,hewasveryreadytodismisshisclassofonetofishthemilk-bottleoutofthebrookandrecesswasprolongedtillnextday.ButbothboysfoundanewpleasureintheprettypastimetheymadeofitforactiveBenrangedthewoodsandfieldswithatinboxslungoverhisshoulder,andfeebleThornyhadalittleroomfittedupforhisownuse,wherehepressedflowersinnewspaperbooks,driedherbsonthewalls,hadbottlesandcups,pansandplatters,forhistreasures,andmadeasmuchlitterasheliked. Presently,Benbroughtsuchlivelyaccountsofthegreennookswherejacks-in-the-pulpitpreachedtheirlittlesermonsbrooks,besidewhichgrewbluevioletsandlovelyfernsrocks,roundwhichdancedthecolumbineslikerosyelves,orthetreeswherebirdsbuilt,squirrelschattered,andwoodchucksburrowed,thatThornywasseizedwithadesiretogoandseethesebeautiesforhimself.SoJackwassaddled,andwentplodding,scrambling,andwanderingintoallmannerofpleasantplaces,alwaysbringinghomeastronger,brownerriderthanhecarriedaway. ThisdelightedMissCeliaandshegladlysawthemrambleofftogether,leavinghertimetostitchhappilyatcertaindaintybitsofsewing,writevoluminousletters,ordreamoverothersquiteaslong,swinginginherhammockunderthelilacs.