gested a great variety. One day they would study the
botany of the breakfast-table, another day, its natural history.
The study of butter would include that of the cow. Even that of the
butter-dish would bring in geology.

The little boys were charmed at the idea of learning pottery from the
cream-jug, and they were promised a potter's wheel directly.

"You see, my dear," said Mr. Peterkin to his wife, "before many weeks,
we shall be drinking our milk from jugs made by our children."

Elizabeth Eliza hoped for a thorough study.

"Yes," said Mr. Peterkin, "we might begin with botany. That would be
near to Agamemnon alphabetically. We ought to find out the botany of
butter. On what does the cow feed?"

The little boys were eager to go out and see.

"If she eats clover," said Mr. Peterkin, "we shall expect the botany of
clover."

The little boys insisted that they were to begin the next day; that very
evening they should go out and study the cow.

Mrs. Peterkin sighed, and decided she would order a simple breakfast.
The little boys took their note-books and pencils, and clambered upon
the fence, where they seated themselves in a row.

For there were three little boys. So it was now supposed. They were
always coming in or going out, and it had been difficult to count them,
and nobody was very sure how many there were.

There they sat, however, on the fence, looking at the cow. She looked at
them with large eyes.

"She won't eat," they cried, "while we are looking at her!"

So they turned about, and pretended to look into the street, and seated
themselves that way, turning their heads back, from time to time, to see
the cow.

"Now she is nibbling a clover."

"No, that is a bit of sorrel."

"It's a whole handful of grass."

"What kind of grass?" they exclaimed.

It was very hard, sitting with their backs to the cow, and pretending to
the cow that they were looking into the street, and yet to be looking at
the cow all the time, and finding out what she was eating; and the upper
rail of the fence was narrow and a little sharp. It was very high,
too, for some additional rails had been put on to prevent the cow from
jumping into the garden or street.

Suddenly, looking out into the hazy twilight, Elizabeth Eliza saw
six legs and six india-rubber boots in the air, and the little boys
disappeared!

"They are tossed by the cow! The little boys are tossed by the cow!"

Mrs. Peterkin rushed for the window, bu