"They are ready for their first moulting!" exclaimed Josef. "They want
to peel off their tight clothing. Watch and see if I am not right."

And sure enough! The great transformation took place even as the old
servant had said it would. Off came the skins--cap, shoes, and all!

The boy and girl were delighted.

After the poor, fatigued, wrinkled caterpillars had wriggled themselves
free from their hampering garments they were sorry looking creatures
indeed! But with a little rest they roused themselves and were soon
eating voraciously, just as if nothing had happened. Day by day their
appetites increased, and to keep pace with them they grew longer and
plumper.

Again they shed their skins, and again were back eating as ravenously as
before.

"The wrinkles surely do not have a chance to stay long in their coats,"
remarked Pierre. "Pretty soon they will want still other larger coats,
too."

Full-sized leaves with a more solid fibre were now demanded by the
maturing silkworms; but Josef cautioned the silk-raisers not to give
their little charges old or tough leaves.

"There is a big difference between full grown vegetation, and old passe
stuff," he explained. "You know how tired your jaws get chewing tough
food. Well, theirs do, too. Remember they chew day in and day
out--nights as well as other times. You've got to conserve their
strength, for they will need every bit of it before they finish their
work. I knew of some silkworms once that died from sheer exhaustion
because they were given food that was too tough for them to masticate.
It is not an uncommon happening."

As the caterpillars continued to eat without cessation the odd little
sound of the cutting of crisp leaves pervaded the silk-house. It was no
such easy task to keep them supplied with food now! Day after day it was
a race to pick the necessary quantity of leaves and remove the
accumulating litter. Every one in the house worked, and even a boy or
two was hired to help in the gathering.

"It is not so easy now, eh?" suggested Josef to Pierre. "Getting tired?"

"A little," admitted the boy. "It keeps one so on the everlasting jump.
Taking away the litter is stupid, tedious work; and then there is the
double supply of leaves to last through the night!"

He sighed.

"You're right. It is a hard job," the old servant agreed kindly. "But
have courage. When you get your first crop of fine cocoons you will say
it was worth it all, and you will forget