ish you wouldn't be always cramming Grandfather down my throat. I
want to do my aquarium my own way; and I gave most towards buying the
bell-glass, so it's more mine than yours."

"Well, do as you like; only let us have plenty of water-boatmen," said
Molly.

"I've got half-a-dozen at least; and the last sweep I went very low,
quite in the mud, and I've got some most horrid things. There's one of
them like a flat-iron, with pincers at the point."

"That's a water-scorpion. Oh, Francis! he eats dreadfully."

"I don't believe he can, he's so flat. Molly, is that nasty-looking
thing a dragon-fly larva?"

"I believe it is; for there is the mask. You know his face is so ugly
nothing would come near him if he didn't wear a mask. Then he lifts it
up and snaps suddenly; _he_ really _does_ eat everything!"

"Well, I can't help it. I must have him. I want to see him hatch; and I
shall plant a bullrush for him to climb up."

"I found a caddis-worm, with a beautifully built house, in the roots of
the Water-Soldier, and I'm going to look along the edge for some shells.
We must have shell-fish, you know, to keep the aquarium clean. Oh!"

"What is it, Molly? What have you found?"

"Oh, such a lovely spider! A water-spider--a scarlet spider. He's very
small, but such a colour! Francis dear, may I keep him all to myself? I
don't think I _can_ let him go in with the others. If the dragon-fly
larva ate him, I should never forgive myself, and you know you don't
know for certain that the beetle is _Hydroeus piceus_. I shall give him
an aquarium of his very own in a green finger-glass, with nothing but a
little very nice duckweed, and one small snail to keep it clean, like a
general servant. May I, Francis?"

"By all means. I don't want your scarlet spider. I can get lots more."
He went on dipping with the colander, and she began to dig up
water-plants and lay them in a heap. I sat and watched them, but the
_Ranatra_ got nervous and tried to go below. As usual, the dry bristles
in his tail would not pierce the water without a struggle, and after
floundering in the most ludicrous fashion for a few minutes, he fell
straight into the colander, and was put into one of the pickle-jars.

"I've got enough now," said the boy, "and I want to go home and see
about my net. I must have some fish. Can you carry the plants, Molly?"

"I'll manage," said Molly. "Now I'm ready."

"Wait a minute, though--I'd forgotten the beetle."

When I heard